Stroke

A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted, which may cause loss of consciousness, paralysis,or death. Stroke and other blood vessel diseases of the brain are the third leading cause of death in Canada and the leading cause of disability.

There are some risk factors for stroke you can't control. Fortunately, there are many that you can control. Find out how.

Recognizing the symptoms of a stroke could save your life! If you recognize and treat a stroke early, you are more like to have a positive outcome. One of the biggest problems in treating stroke is that most people don't know what the symptoms are. If you or someone with you suddenly develops even one stroke symptom, call an ambulance right away - even if the symptoms don't last very long.

Stroke treatment requires fast action: to be effective, it must be started within a few hours of when symptoms start.

After the immediate management of a stroke, the focus of care shifts to helping you regain as much strength and function as possible. A stroke can affect your life in many ways and its effects will be different depending on how severe the stroke was and what area of the brain was affected.

If you have had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), you are at a higher risk of having another one. Therefore, it's important to do whatever you can do to prevent this from happening.

After a stroke, you may need to use a walking aid such as a cane or walker to help you get around. Get help from a health care professional to make sure the size of the cane or walker is right for you and to learn how to use it safely.