Diabetes and stroke :
The link , risk factors , & prevention
By Professor James Jowi
CGM systems consist of a sensor which is the size of an eyelash inserted underneath the skin , and a transmitter / reader placed on the skin . The sensor continuously provides information on blood sugar readings every five minutes by taking glucose readings in the fluid that surrounds the cells .
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What is a Stroke ?
Stroke is a sudden neurological disease that results from affected blood vessels ( arteries ) of the brain . Stroke results from a reduction of blood supply to certain parts of the brain either because of blocked blood vessels ( arteries ) Figure 1 , or rupture of a blood vessel ( artery ) Figure 2 , resulting in reduced or no blood flowing beyond the point of the affected vessel . Stroke often happens suddenly . Consequently , the patient may have weakness of one half of the body ( arm and leg ) with a deviation of the face to one side . Sometimes the patient may not be able to talk or indeed progress into a coma . It is a Medical Emergency . The patient should be rushed to the hospital as soon as possible .
According to the World Health Organization ( WHO ), 15 million people suffer stroke worldwide each year . Of these , 5 million dies , and another 5 million are permanently disabled . High blood pressure , Diabetes Mellitus , and high blood cholesterol contribute to more than 90 % of strokes worldwide . Stroke is common in Kenya , like any other country in the world . There is evidence that stroke tends to affect the younger population in Sub Sahara Africa than in Western countries . Stroke , therefore , affects the majority of our youth .
How many types of strokes are there ?
There are two types of stroke :
1 . Ischemic stroke ( figure 1 ) results from blocked blood vessels ( arteries ). Ischemic stroke is the commonest type , occurring in about 70-80 % of all stroke cases .
2 . Hemorrhagic stroke ( figure 2 ) results from ruptured [ burst ] blood vessels ( arteries ). Hemorrhagic stroke is less common , occurring in about 15-20 % of all stroke cases . When it occurs , it often results in the patient going into a coma due to the brain swelling ( cerebral edema ) that ensues .
Some patients may get “ Small Strokes ” ( Transient Ischemic Attacks-TIAs ), which means that the person develops weakness of the arm , leg , and face deviation for a very brief period . The weakness completely resolves within one to 24 hours . These are essential warning signs that a major stroke ( described above ) is about to happen . If a patient has Diabetes Mellitus , hypertension and is over 60 years of age , the risk of developing a full-blown stroke after TIA is very high . All patients who develop TIA smust be taken to the hospital for investigations even if the weakness resolves completely .