The following factors increase the risk of vascular disease and stroke:

• Smoking
• Age
• Hypertension
• High blood cholesterol
• Lack of exercise
• Congenital cerebrovascular tumors or thin blood vessel walls
• Suffering from other diseases such as diabetes, rheumatic heart disease, etc.

The medical name for stroke is “cerebrovascular disease”. It is a condition in which the blood supply to the brain is reduced or blocked for some reason, causing the brain cells to suddenly lack oxygen. The brain cells can be damaged and lose function within a few minutes, and impairs the related body part. Symptoms include:

• Paralysis of the body and / or limbs
• Slurred speech
• Drooping lip
• Double vision
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Incontinence
• Numbness in part of the body
• Coma or death in severe cases

Stroke is a serious medical emergency with a mortality rate of 30% within three months. However, more than half of the survivors will regain full self-care ability, and less than 20% of the patients have severe disabilities. In addition to the severity of the brain damage (including the type, extent, and site of the stroke), the development of complications, the patient’s self-care ability prior to the stroke, the attitude of the patient and the support given by the family/caregivers, as well as the rehabilitative treatment also play decisive roles in recovery of the patient.

Stroke is now one of the major killer diseases in Hong Kong. The main causes of stroke are smoking, high blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries, so the best way to prevent stroke is to develop healthy living habits such as:

• Avoid smoking and abusing alcohol
• Follow a regular schedule of work and rest, avoid stress, and exercise regularly
• Maintain a balanced diet, avoid high fat and sweet foods and avoid overweight
• If your blood cholesterol level is high, you should watch your diet, and receive the appropriate treatment if necessary
• If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, you should follow up regularly and receive appropriate treatment