Wilderness: Stroke

• Stroke Overview
• Stroke Symptoms
• Stroke Treatment
• When to Seek Medical Care
• For More Information
• Web Links
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

Stroke Overview

Blockage or rupture of a blood vessel in the brain usually results in a neurologic problem known as a stroke. Think of a stroke as a "brain attack." Similar to a heart attack, strokes require urgent medical care to assess the need for life-saving treatment.

Someone having a stroke may feel dizzy or have facial weakness. A person having a stroke may even have weakness of an entire side of the body. Weakness of an entire side of the body may indicate more serious, larger strokes.

Hypoglycemia, a diabetic reaction, can have symptoms similar to a stroke. Always check to see if the person having the symptoms is wearing a medical alert bracelet indicating that he or she has diabetes.