Diabetes and stroke

What is a Stroke?

A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly blocked. This prevents brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. A stroke can quickly damage brain cells and affect how your body works. A person having a stroke needs urgent medical attention. The earlier a person receives treatment for a stroke, the better their chances of recovery.

Types of stroke

Ischaemic

• This happens when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel leading to the brain. It is the most common type of stroke and the one that people with diabetes are more likely to experience.

Haemorrhagic

• This occurs when a blood vessel bursts, causing bleeding into the brain.

Both types of strokes can cause serious brain damage, leading to long term disability or even death.

Why are people with diabetes at higher risk?

High blood glucose levels over time can damage blood vessels, making them more likely to develop clots. Also, people with diabetes often have other conditions that raise stroke risk, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  

Signs of stroke

A stroke is a medical emergency. It is vital that a person having a stroke gets urgent medical attention so that damage to the brain can be reduced. This means it is important that we all know the signs of stroke. We can educate those around us in case they need to act quickly. An easy way to remember the most common signs of stroke is the F.A.S.T. test. This is recommended by the Stroke Foundation. The F.A.S.T. test involves asking these simple questions: 

Face Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?

Arms Can they lift both arms?

Speech Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?

Time Is critical. If you see any of these signs call 000 straight away, even if the signs go away after a few minutes.

These are the most common signs of stroke, but there are others. For more information go to the Stroke Foundation.



Reducing your risk of stroke

Managing risk factors for stroke can reduce your risk of having a stroke. These include:

• High cholesterol
  • High levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol can lead to a buildup of plaque on your artery walls, narrowing them. Clots can form in plaque or the plaque can break off and move, blocking blood flow. If this happens in the brain it causes a stroke.
  • The general targets for people with diabetes are:
    • total cholesterol of less than 4 mmol/L
    • Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), or ‘bad’ cholesterol, of less than 2 mmol/L
    • High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), or ‘good’ cholesterol, of 1 mmol/L or above
    • triglycerides of less than 2 mmol/L.
  • See here for an information prescription about cholesterol: Diabetes and your cholesterol. It can help you to work with your health professionals to keep your cholesterol in a healthy range.
• High blood pressure
  • High blood pressure puts strain on your blood vessels and damages them.
  • It can put pressure on plaque in blood vessels and cause some to break off, and block a blood vessel further along.
  • Aim to have your blood pressure within your target. The general target is less than 140/90. Some people may be advised to aim for a lower target, such as less than 130/80 or lower.
  • See here for an information prescription about blood pressure: Diabetes and your blood pressure. This can help you work with your health professionals to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.
• High HbA1c and glucose levels
  • High glucose levels over time can damage blood vessels. See here for an information prescription about HbA1c: Diabetes and your HbA1c. This can help you work with your health professionals to keep your HbA1c in a healthy range.
• Smoking
  • Smoking damages blood vessels. Call the Quitline on 137848 to help you become smoke free. Quitting is hard and the counsellors at Quit understand this.
    
    

Annual cycle of care

The annual cycle of care is a checklist for reviewing your diabetes management and general health each year. These important health checks can find any problems early so they can be treated. This can help to reduce the risk of diabetes related complications, including stroke.

Being active, eating well and taking medications as prescribed are all important in helping you to stay well. Work with your doctor and other diabetes health professionals to help reduce your risk of stroke. Help those around you to know the signs of stroke so that they can act F.A.S.T. if needed.