Thursday 2 June 2016

June is Stroke Awareness Month

When you or someone around you is experiencing these signs, call an ambulance to get help. Do not drive yourself to the hospital as the Paramedic has the skills and equipment to treat you. This is vitally important as the quicker you can get help, the better the outcome can be. 

What is the difference between a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) and a stroke?  Both are medical emergencies and require you to be seen by a medical professional. A TIA is caused by a small clot that briefly blocks an artery that leads to your brain. It is sometimes called a mini-stroke or warning stroke. TIA symptoms might last only a few minutes or hours. No lasting damage occurs, but TIAs are an important warning that a more serious stroke may occur soon. A stroke happens when blood stops flowing to any part of your brain. This interruption causes damage to the brain cells which cannot be repaired or replaced. The effects of your stroke depend on the part of the brain that was damaged and the amount of damage done.

For more information, please visit www.heartandstroke.ca





Cherie deBoer is a Registered Nurse at the Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network