Stroke
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Stroke is the third-greatest killer and the leading cause of long-term adult physical disability in the As a disease of the elderly, stroke will affect an increasing number of people as the UK population ages. Key risk factors include age, ethnicity and gender. Modifiable risk factors include smoking, lack of exercise, obesity, hypertension, atrial fibrillation and high cholesterol. |
| Stroke is the brain’s equivalent of a heart attack. It occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted or damaged. Without an adequate blood supply, brain cells are starved of oxygen and nutrients and rapidly begin to die 9. |
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| Sufferers are often left with difficulty talking, walking and performing basic tasks. A Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) is a minor stroke with symptoms similar to those of a stroke, but all symptoms disappear within 24 hours. TIA is often an important warning sign of a more serious stroke. |
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