Stroke in South Asian People
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Stroke Helpline: 0303 3033 100 Website: stroke.org.uk Stroke in South Asian people If you are part of the South Asian community in the UK, you have a higher risk of stroke than the rest of the population, but the reasons for this are not fully understood. The term ‘South Asian’ means anyone of Bangladeshi, Indian, Sri Lankan or Pakistani origin. This factsheet explains the main risk factors for South Asian people and explains what you can do to reduce your risk of stroke. What is a stroke? acial weakness F Can the person smile? A stroke is a brain attack. A stroke happens Has their mouth or eye drooped? when the blood supply to part of the brain rm weakness is cut off. This can be because of a blockage A Can the person raise both arms? (called an ischaemic stroke) or because peech problems of bleeding in the brain (a haemorrhagic S Can the person speak clearly and stroke.) A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) understand what you say? is very similar to a stroke, but the effects are ime to call 999 temporary – they may last for a few minutes T Stroke is a medical emergency. or up to 24 hours. If you see any one of these signs, seek Within the first few hours there is no way of immediate medical attention. telling whether it is a stroke or TIA occurring, so it is important that you never ignore a TIA. What are the main risk factors for stroke? What are the symptoms of stroke? There are many risk factors that can cause you to have a stroke. Some of these cannot The FAST test (right) can help you to be changed, for example family history, age, recognise the symptoms of a stroke or gender or other additional genetic factors TIA. They usually come on suddenly. Other such as your ethnic group. Research has symptoms include sudden weakness shown that people from African-Caribbean or numbness on one side of the body, and the South Asian communities are at sudden loss or blurring of vision in one or a higher risk of stroke. We still don’t fully both eyes, sudden confusion, dizziness or know why, but it is suggested that some unsteadiness. medical conditions that are risk factors for stroke are more common in these ethnic Stroke Association – April 2012 1 Stroke in South Asian people groups. Other factors that can increase your - the first figure (systolic) is the pressure risk of stroke (such as medical conditions when the heart beats and forces blood round like high blood pressure and diabetes, and the body, and the second figure (diastolic) poor lifestyle choices) can be controlled to is the pressure between heart beats. All minimise your risk. adults should have their blood pressure checked at least once every five years and Medical conditions more often if you have had a high reading in the past or you are already on blood High blood pressure pressure medication. Blood pressure levels Blood pressure is the measure of force with vary throughout the day. For example, they which the blood presses on the artery walls can be higher if you have been exercising as it is pumped around the body. Anyone or you are feeling stressed or anxious. So can have high blood pressure (this can also to get an accurate reading it will need to be be known as hypertension), however the checked over a period of time, to see if it is only way to find out if you have high blood consistently high. pressure is by getting it checked. The ideal recommended blood pressure There is no single cause of high blood level is less than 120/80mmHg, but a normal pressure and many factors such as not doing blood reading is less than 130/80mmHg. enough exercise, being overweight, a high You are usually considered to have high salt intake and an unhealthy diet can all blood pressure if you have a measurement contribute to it. Your genes can be another that is consistently above 140/90 mmHg If factor. You have a higher risk of developing you have diabetes, treatment will usually high blood pressure if one or both of your be considered if your blood pressure is parents have experienced it. If you are from consistently above 130/80 mmHg. See South Asian descent, you are more likely factsheet F6, High blood pressure and stroke to have high blood pressure. About one in for further information. four South Asian adults in England have high blood pressure. Diabetes Diabetes is a common condition in the High blood pressure is very common. It’s South Asian community. If you are part one of the biggest risk factors for stroke. If of the South Asian community in the UK you have high blood pressure, your heart will you are five to six times more likely to have have to work harder to pump blood around diabetes than the rest of the UK population. your body and this can put a strain on your heart. Increased pressure can also damage Diabetes occurs when the sugar levels the walls of your arteries which may result (glucose) in your blood are too high. There in blockages or cause the arteries to split. are two main types. Type 1 usually begins in This can result in a stroke. Making lifestyle childhood or adolescence. It develops when changes can help to lower your blood the body stops producing insulin, a hormone pressure, and your doctor may prescribe that helps control the glucose in your medication to help. bloodstream. Type 2 diabetes is much more common and tends to develop gradually Blood pressure is measured by two numbers after the age of 40. It develops when your 2 Stroke Association – April 2012 Stroke in South Asian people body does not produce enough insulin or large amounts of alcohol when your body’s cells do not react to the • your ethnic group - for example, if you insulin. are of South Asian origin then you are more likely to be at risk of having high Common symptoms of diabetes include cholesterol. This may be linked to the fact thirst, passing a lot of urine at night, that diabetes and high blood pressure are tiredness and blurred vision. Currently also more common in the South Asian there is no cure for diabetes, but it can be community. managed by making lifestyle changes (see next section). You may also need to take medication, insulin or both to help control it. Lifestyle changes Diabetes that is not controlled well (called Reducing your risk of stroke untreated diabetes) can cause damage There are many things that you can do to both the large and small blood vessels, to improve your health and help reduce resulting in the blood vessel walls becoming your risk of stroke. These include lifestyle stiff, narrow and furred. This is called changes such as giving up smoking, eating a atherosclerosis. This can increase the healthy diet, taking regular exercise, drinking chance of blood vessels in your brain or sensibly and reducing your stress levels. heart becoming blocked. Having diabetes These changes can help to lower your blood increases your risk of stroke by five times pressure, control diabetes and help lower compared with people who do not have your cholesterol levels. diabetes. See factsheet F15, Diabetes and stroke for further information. Giving up smoking Smoking tobacco doubles your risk of High cholesterol stroke and this risk will increase the more Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in you smoke. Smoking causes arteries to the body. It is important as it has various become furred up (atherosclerosis) and it functions, but too much cholesterol makes the blood more likely to clot. Whether can increase your risk of stroke. This is you smoke cigarettes, bidi or shisha, or use because cholesterol can build up in the chewing tobacco such as pann or gutkha, it is artery, restricting the flow of blood to your still harmful to your health and can increase brain, heart, and the rest of your body. It the risk of serious health problems. also increases the chance of a blood clot developing. An ideal cholesterol level is Giving up is not always easy, but there is a under 5mmols per litre. lot of help and support available. People who use NHS support services, rather than A number of factors can contribute to high trying to stop on their own, are up to four cholesterol levels. These include: times more likely to stop smoking. You should have a free local NHS service that • medical conditions such as high blood can provide medication and support. Many pressure and diabetes services also provide support to help you • lifestyle factors such as a poor diet, lack of to stop using smokeless tobacco. Speak to exercise, being overweight and drinking your GP for advice about quitting smoking Stroke Association – April 2012 3 Stroke in South Asian people or see page 8 for the contact details of this could be that many health and leisure ‘Quitline’. Perhaps occasions such as services do not cater for language and Ramadan, Diwali, Vaisakhi, anniversaries or cultural differences. the birth of a new baby may be good times to stop using tobacco. See our factsheet F19, Taking regular exercise has many health Smoking and stroke, for further information. benefits. It can help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, help maintain a healthy Drink sensibly weight, strengthen your heart and improve In small amounts, alcohol may help to circulation. This can all help to reduce your reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack, risk of stroke.