Many people think that stroke only happens to the elderly. But the truth is, stroke can strike anyone regardless of their age. Currently, stroke is the third leading cause of death in Malaysia and it remains a major health concern worldwide. (Malaysia’s Stroke Care Revolution, 2019)
Did you know that stroke is preventable?
According to State Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister of Sabah, Datuk Frankie Poon in Daily Express, lack of awareness about stroke remains a strong barrier towards effective treatment and preventions.
The key steps to lowering your risk of stroke is by controlling the risk factors and knowing the warning signs. He further said that understanding the causes of stroke and lifestyle changes have been proven to reduce the rate of deaths from stroke by half.
Before we get into the risk factors, let’s get to know what Stroke is. A stroke happens when the blood flow to the brain is cut off. The brain, like all parts of the body, requires oxygen. When the brain is not receiving enough oxygen, they become damaged and the symptoms that follow are called a stroke.
You should know that there are 2 types of stroke. Those caused by a blockage of blood flow (ischemic stroke) and those cause by bleeding into the brain (hemorrhagic stroke).
Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke and is responsible for about two-third of reported cases in Malaysia while the remaining one third being haemorrhagic. (Malaysia’s Stroke Care Revolution, 2019)
The different stroke types cause similar symptoms because each affects the blood flow in your brain. Hence, the only way to identify what type of stroke you may be having is to seek medical attention.
Depending on which parts of the brain are affected, symptoms of stroke can be wide-ranging. This includes a drooping face, weakness in arms or legs, speech difficulties, vision problems and loss of balance. If you observe one or more of these signs of a stroke, don’t wait, call a doctor or 999 right away!
Apart from the physical setbacks caused by the disease, stroke also heavily affects the patient emotionally. As family members and friends, what we can do if we know someone who has stroke is by supporting them both physically and emotionally. The right kind of treatment and support can help ease the pain and move the patient down the road to recovery.
The number of stroke cases in Malaysia are increasing day by day. According to Malaysia’s Stroke Care Revolution, up to 100 stroke admissions occurred each day across all Malaysian healthcare facilities nationwide. The cost of stroke care management that accounted for 33,812 admissions in 2016 alone escalated to almost RM180 million.
Stroke prevention is a key element in reducing these numbers. A National Stroke Association poll found most people understand that strokes may be prevented. However, 21 percent have no idea how. In addition, 87 percent of people wants to hear more about the risk of stroke and its preventions from their doctors.
There are two primary types of risk factors for stroke. Those that are modifiable and those that are unmodifiable. By controlling modifiable risk factors, you can help significantly reduce the risk of stroke, even for patients who have genetic risk factors.
Modifiable risk factors for stroke are conditions that may be treated with medication or surgery. These conditions include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, smoking and excessive drink use and poor diet.
Unmodifiable risk factors on the other hand can’t be modified by medical treatment or lifestyle changes like being over age 55 or having a family history of stroke.
If you’re aware of these risk factors, it’s important that you work with a health care provider to learn more about medical and lifestyle changes you can make to prevent having a stroke.
Experts say that up to 80% of strokes may be preventable with proper attention to lifestyle and medical risk factors. Stroke is also treatable, providing that people recognize the symptoms and seek emergency medical treatment.
It’s never too late to start taking action to lower your risk of stroke. The best way to prevent stroke is to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking and excessive drinking. These lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of problems like high blood pressure and high cholesterol that can lead to stroke.
To recap, understanding stroke and its risk factors can greatly reduce your risk of stroke. At Excigent Wealth Advisors, our role is to help you stay protected so you can continue being breadwinners for your families without having to worry about the unexpected.
For a free consultation, send us an enquiry at excigentwealthadvisors.com or call us at 03-76650968.