Stroke awareness event – Missed a beat?
The Community Stroke Rehabilitation Team are coming to the Arndale Centre Eastbourne on Tuesday 17th May from 10.00 am to 2.30 pm to promote awareness of stroke and stroke prevention.
Members of the Community Stroke Rehabilitation Team will be available to check your pulse and blood pressure to see if you have “missed a beat”. They will also be offering advice on what you can do to reduce your risk of stroke.
Jill Gorman, Community Stroke Specialist Dietitian said, “An irregular pulse or high blood pressure can increase your risk of having a stroke. So the Stroke Team will be in the Arndale to give advice on stroke prevention and check pulses and blood pressure.”
You can check your own pulse by placing the first two fingers of your right hand on your left wrist, below the base of your thumb and apply light pressure to feel your pulse beat. Feel this for one minute. Notice the rhythm (regularity) of the pulse. A regular beat is even and continuous. An irregular beat may have extra or missed beats or a series of weaker, rapid beats. It may be difficult to count. If your pulse is irregular or if you’re concerned in any way about your pulse, you should see your doctor as soon as possible. The doctor can do more tests to check your heart rhythm.
Every year around 152,000 people suffer a stroke in the UK; that is one every 3 minutes 27 seconds. A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. This could be caused by either a blockage in an artery (ischaemic stroke) or by bleeding in the brain (haemorrhagic stroke). A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or ‘mini stroke’ is similar to a stroke, but the symptoms resolve within 24 hours. Stroke is the third single largest cause of death in the UK after cancer and heart disease. Brain injuries caused by stroke are a major cause of disabilities. By the age of 75, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 6 men will have a stroke. Stroke kills twice as many women as breast cancer and more men than prostate and testicular cancer combined a year.
The Community Stroke Rehabilitation Team work with people who have suffered a stroke to help them recover and regain their independence, making the most of their abilities and skills.
