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Test your stroke awareness

By the time you’ve watched your favourite half-hour TV show, three people in Canada have suffered a stroke. Stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, or blood vessels in the brain rupture. Without oxygen-rich blood, your brain cells begin to die. But fast treatment can save those cells and prevent permanent damage – and may save your life.

Would you recognize a stroke and know what to do? Are you at risk? Take this quiz to find out:

1) Which of these is NOT a stroke symptom?


A. Weakness – sudden loss of strength or numbness in the face, arm or leg
B. Trouble speaking – sudden difficulty talking or understanding, or sudden confusion
C. Vision problems – sudden trouble seeing
D. Chest discomfort – pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain
E. Headache – sudden severe and unusual pain
F. Dizziness – sudden loss of balance

Correct answer: D. Chest pressure is a possible sign of a heart attack, but not stroke.

The signs of stroke are weakness, trouble speaking, vision problems, sudden severe headache and dizziness. If you experience one or more of these, you could be having a stroke.


2) If you experience stroke symptoms, or if you’re with someone who does, you should:

A. Call 9-1-1
B. Call your family doctor
C. Call a family member or someone else who can help
D. Take an aspirin and lie down

Correct answer: A. Stroke is a medical emergency. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number immediately and you can greatly improve the chances of survival and recovery.

For strokes caused by a blood clot, doctors can administer treatments such as a clot-busting drug called tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) - but treatments are most effective if administered within 3½ hours after stroke symptoms appear. Many people arrive at hospital too late.

3) What is the number one risk factor for stroke?

A. Family history of stroke
B. Being overweight
C. High blood pressure
D. Drinking too much alcohol
E. Being older than 65

Correct answer: C. High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke, as well as a major risk factor for heart disease. Over time, high blood pressure can damage blood vessel walls, causing scarring that promotes the build-up of fatty plaque, which can narrow and eventually block arteries.

Family history, weight, alcohol consumption and age are also risk factors for stroke. Protect yourself by being aware of all the factors and making healthy choices to reduce your risk.


4) True or false: If you’re a member of this ethnic group, you are at higher risk of having a stroke than the general population.

A. South Asian    True    False
B. African descent    True    False
C. First Nations    True    False

Correct answers: A – true. B – true. C – true. All three of these groups tend to be at greater risk of stroke than the general population. In particular, stroke can occur at an earlier age on average among South Asian women and men of African descent, compared to other groups.

5) The best way to reduce your risk of stroke is to:

A. Know and control your blood pressure
B. Be smoke free
C. Be physically active
D. Know and control your blood cholesterol levels
E. Eat a heart-healthy diet
F. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
G. Manage your diabetes
H. Limit alcohol
I. Reduce stress
J. All of the above

Correct answer: J. Heart disease and stroke are two of the three leading causes of death in Canada, so it’s important to identify and control all of your risk factors.

© – Reproduced with permission of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 2012