Make May Purple -Stroke Awareness Month

18th May 2017

NHS Stockport CCG is urging people to back the Make May Purple campaign to turn the spotlight on the risk factors and symptoms of a stroke.

In Stockport around 700 people a year have a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (a mini stroke) and each year around 170 people die as a result of a stroke.

A mini stroke is caused by a temporary disruption of the blood supply to the brain and it causes similar symptoms to a stroke but the effects only last for a few minutes.

It’s difficult to judge how many people have TIAs as many people don’t get medical help because the symptoms disappear quickly.

But even if the symptoms only last minutes, it’s vital you get immediate medical help as a mini stroke is an early warning sign that a full blown stroke may follow.

Up to one in five people suffer a full stroke within a month of the mini one but with medical help the risk of a further TIA or full stroke can be greatly reduced.

There are ways you can massively reduce your risk of having either a stroke or TIA. These include:

• maintaining a healthy weight
• eating healthily
• taking regular exercise
• limiting your alcohol consumption
• not smoking

Living healthily has a huge effect on your chance of having a stroke – for instance you are twice as likely to have a stroke if you are a smoker.

But the biggest risk factor is having untreated high blood pressure. With medication and lifestyle changes, you can reduce this risk so get it checked at your practice.

If you or someone you care for is in a high-risk group, such as an elderly person or someone with diabetes or high blood pressure, recognising the symptoms and acting on them is vital.

The main signs and symptoms of a stroke or a mini stroke can be identified by remembering the word F.A.S.T :

•  Face – the face may have fallen on one side, the person may be unable to smile, or their mouth or eye may have dropped
• Arms – the person may not be able to raise both their arms and keep them there due to weakness or numbness in their arms
• Speech – the person may have slurred speech
• Time – if any of these signs or symptoms are present, it is time to dial 999 immediately