Stroke Therapy: Life After Stroke - Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

What is a stroke?

A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, killing brain cells

An ischaemic stroke is caused by a blockage cutting off blood supply to the brain

A haemorrhagic stroke is caused by bleeding in or around the brain

A transient ischaemic attack or TIA is also known as a mini-stroke. It is the same as a stroke, except that the symptoms only last for a short time. This is because the blockage that stops the blood getting to your brain is temporary

More information is available on the Stroke Association website. You can also find out more information about different types of strokes on the Newcastle Hospitals website.

Risk factors of stroke

Age – as we get older, our arteries naturally become narrower and harder. They are also more likely to become clogged with fatty material, known as atherosclerosis
Medical conditions – such as high blood pressure, diabetes, arterial fibrillation, and high cholesterol
Lifestyle factors – the way we live has a big impact on our risk of stroke. Things such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol, being overweight and eating unhealthy foods can damage blood vessels, increase your blood pressure and make your blood more likely to clot
Family history – If a close relative has had a stroke, your risk is likely to be higher
Ethnicity – Strokes happen more often in people who are black or from South Asian families

Stroke Statistics

100,000 people have a stroke in the UK each year (1 every 5 minutes)
There are 1.3 million stroke survivors (73,000 of which are in the North East and North Cumbria)
Stroke is the single biggest cause of severe disability