Stroke is a leading cause of death and serious injury in the UK, with more than 100,000 strokes in the UK each year – that’s roughly one every 5 minutes.
Statistics by the Public Health Foundation in 2018 indicated that 1 in every 6 people will suffer from stroke in their lifetime, caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain.
Stroke affects people of all ages from all walks of life and the effects can be devastating but the sooner a stroke can be diagnosed, the better chance of recovery.
Of course, it is best to diagnose the cause of the poor blood flow before this serious complication occurs.
There are three types of stroke;
- Ischaemic (sudden blockage of artery to the brain)
- Haemorrhagic (a bleed into the brain tissue when a blood vessel bursts)
- Transient ischaemic (when the blockage is momentary but enough to cause a ‘mini stroke’)
Symptoms are commonly referred to as FAST;
- Facial weakness
- Arm weakness
- Speech problems
- Time to call 999
This is not an exhaustive list of symptoms and there may be others, but if any of arise suddenly, medical treatment should be sought as soon as possible.
The longer symptoms progress without treatment, there is a greater chance or damage to the brain cells and a poorer chance of recovery.
You may be at a higher risk of stoke due to certain factors, and a failure to identify and treat these risks may be negligent if brought to the attention of the clinician in good time.
Some risk factors of stroke include;
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Arterial fibrillation
- Recent surgery
Negligence can also be seen in a failure to diagnose a stroke and, therefore, resulting in delayed treatment and a poorer outcome for the patient.
If you feel that you have been a victim of such negligence, please do not hesitate to contact our experienced team who can assist you further.
