21 May 2019
UH Bristol stroke team supports stroke awareness month
This month is Make May Purple for Stroke. Throughout the month,
the Stroke Association are encouraging organisations and
individuals to raise awareness of the dangers of strokes, and
encouraging everyone to be aware of the signs to look out for.
Over the past few years, staff in the stroke service at UH
Bristol have supported Make May Purple for Stroke, and this year is
no exception. Alongside decorating ward A515 to match the purple
theme, colleagues from across our stroke service have been running
a raffle and tombola and organising purple themed bake sales, all
to raise proceeds for the Stroke Association. There will also be
pop up sessions for people to get their blood pressure tested on
Tuesday's in the BRI main reception, and Thursdays in the Bristol
Heart Institute. Everyone is welcome to come down and receive a
free and quick blood pressure test.
Meet some the staff from our stroke service here.
Strokes are more common than a lot of people think. It is often
assumed that only elderly people are at risk of strokes, but this
is absolutely not the case. Strokes can strike anyone at any age,
knowing what signs to look out for and making sure you act early if
you notice anything is absolutely essential.
The stroke service at UH Bristol includes medical professionals
from a wide range of specialties including doctors and consultants,
nurses and advanced care practitioners, therapy staff in speech and
language and occupational health, psychologists, physios and
dietitians. Between 400 and 500 patients are admitted at UH Bristol
for stroke symptoms each year.
Clare Holmes, consultant in the stroke service at UH Bristol
said:
"If someone has had a stroke then it is essential that they get to
hospital immediately as the longer it takes to start treatment, the
more difficult it is to achieve a full recovery. Because of this
urgency, it is vital that everyone can recognise the signs of
stroke. A good way of doing this is by using the FAST system where
you check the Face, the Arms, and the Speech for any noticeable
changes. If there are, or if you have any concerns at all, then
it's Time to call 999."
Speaking about the importance of people being aware of strokes,
Pauline Baker, clinical nurse specialist at UH Bristol said:
"There are a lot of ways that we can treat strokes, and depending
on how quickly you notice the signs, many people can make a full
recovery.
However, with strokes, prevention is definitely better than
cure. One of the major risk factors for stroke is high blood
pressure. It's very important for people to make sure they take up
opportunities to have their blood pressure checked and if it is
high to make sure they see their GP and have it treated as soon as
possible. Being proactive and taking care of our own health is the
best way to act against strokes.
On top of this, small lifestyle changes such as stopping
smoking, reducing your alcohol intake, losing weight and increasing
the amount of exercise you do can make a massive difference and
protect you that much more against the dangers of strokes."
To find out more about the different roles in our stroke service
from the staff themselves, visit the
staff biography page.
For more information on strokes, and on activities for Make May
Purple for Stroke, visit the
Stroke Association website or feel free to speak to the team at
one of their events throughout May.
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