People who have experienced the brain injury seen in stroke may have disabilities afterwards, even if the cardiovascular event was only mild.
Research presented at the Canadian Stroke Congress revealed that people who have mild strokes may live with hidden disabilities such as depression, vision problems and difficulty thinking.
Co-author Annie Rochette, of the University of Montreal, stated: "There is no such thing as a mild stroke".
"These patients face huge challenges in their daily lives."
She explained that nearly 25 per cent of mild stroke patients only get as far as the emergency room, meaning they do not see the occupational therapists, neuropsychologists or speech therapists who typically do these types of screening.
Another study presented at the congress found that smokers are twice as likely to suffer a stroke as those without the habit.
Furthermore, the average age at which smokers did have a stroke was ten years younger than the age at which non-smokers tended to experience the cardiovascular event.
News by Serious Law. Expert legal assistance for those affected by brain injury
Posted by Matthew Heap
