There are three main types of stroke but the most common type is Ischaemic which is caused by a blockage that stops the blood supply to the brain. The other is haemorrhagic stroke that happens as a result of bleeding in and around the brain. Transient, ischaemic or TIA, is the mildest of them all, it is referred as a mini stroke and most of its symptoms are temporary. 

Be it in a mild, moderate or severe forms; a stroke has the ability to render someone immobile or permanently disabled.  Those who are at risk need to pay keen attention in order to safeguard their health and well- being.

If you are living with high blood pressure or hypertension, it means that you are already at risk of getting a stroke since high blood pressure is a primary cause of stroke.  Diabetes and high blood cholesterol levels too are critical contributors, failure to consistently manage or monitor either of them, may result in you getting a stroke.

To reduce your risk of stroke you need to take your medication as prescribed, foster or adapt healthy eating habits, avoid excessive drinking of alcohol, tobacco smoking and food high in sodium or salt.  A few minutes of daily physical exercise will be of great benefit to you as well.

Those living with loved ones or family members who are at risk may find the acronym FAST helpful if or when these signs occur. Face- Face dropping- one side of the face may drop or become numb,  A- Ask the person to smile and observe if the smile is uneven, S- speech difficulty, if the speech is slurred then it is time to call 911, and T- Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination along with severe headaches with no known cause.

Additional signs and symptoms include: confusion and having difficulty seeing in one or both eyes. For urgent and effective medical attention, it is imperative that you become observant and spot the warning signs of those around you in its early stage.

Some warning signs are: weakness in the arm; is the arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms, Does the arm drift downward? If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, then, there is a medical emergency at your door steps and it is time to seek help.

Whenever there are mild or moderate cases of strokes, most individuals can make a complete recovery.  However in severe cases the recovery process can be problematic; even after years of recovering from the stroke many victims can be seen walking with a twisted mouth along with a hand or foot that is non-functional or lame.      

Based on information from the American Stroke Association, one in five women will have a stroke, Approximately 55, 000 more women than men have a stroke every year. Stroke is the number four cause of death in women and kills over eighty thousand women annually.

 A Heart and Stroke Foundation was established in Antigua and Barbuda on the 3^rd of February 2020, with a membership of thirty persons.  The Foundation is a non-profit one that relies largely on the financial contributions of its membership as well as assistance from the general public.

President of the Foundation DR. Georgette Meade stated, that the ultimate goal of the Foundation is to provide financial support to victims of stroke and cardiac disease. To educate the populace regarding the seriousness of stroke utilizing all available media platforms and to aid in any cardiac investigations. The Foundation has been able to raise capital through its annual symposium held on the last Saturday in February each year.

Public health nurses within the community clinics has the sole responsibility for primary care service. Blood pressure monitoring forms part of that primary care. Persons living with high blood pressure, diabetes and high blood cholesterol levels can access services at the clinics.

  For additional information visit or call the public health clinics within your community.