27th June 2025 was yet another busy day for Withope Foundation as I spent an hour (6pm to 7pm) on Omanba TV to elaborate on the meaning, predisposing factors, symptoms and prevention of one of the most common fatal health problems known as cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
Withope Foundation has been keen on the prevention and management of hypertension for the past 5 years, and one of the most common complication of it is stroke. We therefore felt the responsibility to equip the general public on the nature of the condition to help settle us in a better position against it. A big acknowledgment to Omanba TV for facilitating such an impactful show on their medium to promote health in various households.
First of all, the basic meaning of CVA popularly known as stroke is a limitation in blood supply to the brain. Blood is the fuel of the body and it is needed to keep every part of the body alive. This means any part of the body that is restricted from enough blood supply stands a risk of malfunctioning or even dying out in the worst situation. The brain is not an exception to this physiology. In fact it is even more dangerous relatively.
The brain is a very delicate organ which controls almost every action of the body. It demands about 20% of the oxygen we inhale, which proves how commanding and demanding it is in the human body. It controls the motor reflexes and several other mechanisms in the body and for this reason, it must be well protected at all cost if we want to enjoy healthy lifetimes. When blood ceases to locate the brain and supply oxygen and other nutrients it needs, it ceases to function as it should, and this situation disposes the entire human body to malfunction because the brain has control over the entire body.
There are two types of Stroke namely ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke is when the blood vessels that aids blood to the brain are narrowed, dead or not patent enough to correctly aid blood flow, while hemorrhagic stroke is when the blood vessels crack and leak the blood that is required to get to the brain to activate it. The common factor in both types of stroke or CVA is that, there is a limitation in blood flow to the brain.
Common signs of this deadly condition are; difficulty in walking, dizziness, loss of balance, difficulty in speaking, blurred vision, sudden headache and numbness or paralysis. There is also a common acronym which should alert us to suspect the development of stroke and this acronym is FAST. ‘F’ means face, that’s when you realize one side of your face has dropped. ‘A’ means arms, that’s when you realize one of your arms drifts downwards by itself. ‘S’ means speech, that’s when your speech is slurred. And ‘T’ means is time to call for ambulance or rush to the hospital.
The good news is that Stroke or CVA can be prevented by maintaining a normal blood pressure, limiting the intake of fats and cholesterol, refraining from smoking and alcoholism, controlling your sugar level if you are diabetic, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and eating diets rich in vitamins. We don’t intend to stigmatize victims of stroke but to let the world know the details of the condition and stay alert. Our health is in our hands and Withope will always encourage people to protect it with their all.