Stroke Awareness Month.

May is “Action on Stroke Month 2025”. This is an annual event dedicated to increasing public awareness about the signs and symptoms of a stroke; the importance of timely medical response; and the long-term care and support needed for survivors. The event also emphasises research and advocacy to improve stroke care and prevention.

In the UK, approximately 100,000 people experience a stroke each year. To put this another way, shockingly 240 people will have a stroke every day in May, totalling approximately 7,200 people this month alone.

As a leading clinical negligence firm we believe it’s crucial to raise awareness about strokes, especially since misdiagnosis, or delayed treatment, can have catastrophic consequences for patients and their families.

Understanding stroke, its causes, symptoms, and the importance of prompt treatment is vital for ensuring better outcomes for patients.

Stroke – what is it?

A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is disrupted, either by a blockage (ischemic stroke) or a rupture of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). This interruption causes brain cells to become damaged or die, leading to various neurological deficits.

Causes

As we age, our arteries become harder and narrower and more likely to become blocked. However, certain medical conditions and lifestyle factors can speed up this process and increase your risk of having a stroke.

The main risk factors for a stroke include:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Atrial fibrillation
• High cholesterol
• Your age
• Lifestyle factors – such as smoking or eating unhealthy foods
• Family history - if a close relative (parent, grandparent, brother or sister) has had a stroke, your risk is likely to be higher
• Ethnicity - strokes happen more often in people who are black African or Caribbean, or from South Asian families

However, it is important to remember that a stroke can happen to anyone.

What are the signs and symptoms of a stroke?

The most crucial signs of a stroke are often remembered with the acronym F.A.S.T which stands for:

• Face – one side of the face may droop (fall) and it might become difficult to smile
• Arms – it may not be possible to fully lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness
• Speech – you may slur your words or sound confused
• Time – this refers to the importance of time. It is vital to call 999 immediately

Whilst the above are the main symptoms, there are other signs that you or someone else is having a stroke. These include:

• Weakness or numbness down one side of your body
• Blurred vision or loss of sight in one or both eyes
• Finding it difficult to speak or think of words
• Confusion and memory loss
• Feeling dizzy or falling over
• A severe headache
• Feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting)

The importance of time

A stroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment in a hospital setting. The type of treatment that a person who has suffered a stroke will receive depends on the type of stroke, and how quickly they present to the hospital.

Treatment for Ischaemic Strokes

In terms of an ischaemic stroke, you will usually be given an antiplatelet drug, such as aspirin. Antiplatelets help make your blood less “sticky” and stops clots from forming in your blood.

Some people with ischaemic stroke can receive special “clot-busting” drugs designed to break down and disperse clots and return the blood supply to the brain – a process of giving this medicine is known as thrombolysis.

For most people, thrombolysis needs to be given within four-and-a-half hours of your stroke symptoms starting. In some circumstances, doctors may decide it could still be of benefit beyond four-and-a-half hours. However, the more time that passes, the less effective thrombolysis will be. This is why it's important to get to the hospital as quickly as possible when symptoms start.

At present, only around 12% of people who are admitted to the hospital with a stroke are eligible to receive thrombolysis. There are many reasons for this, including underlying health conditions that may be a contraindication to thrombolysis. However, it may also be because the patient does not know or cannot tell doctors when their symptoms began, or they did not reach the hospital in time.

Another treatment option for an ischaemic stroke is thrombectomy. This is surgery to physically remove a clot from the brain. It usually involves inserting a mesh device into an artery in your groin, moving it up to the brain, and pulling the clot out. It only works for people where the blood clot is in a large artery.

Like thrombolysis, it has to be carried out within hours of a stroke starting. Only a small proportion of stroke cases are eligible for thrombectomy but it can have a big impact on those people by reducing, and in some cases preventing, permanent disability.

Treatment for Haemorrhagic Strokes

If you have a haemorrhagic stroke (due to bleeding in or around the brain) you might be given treatments for high blood pressure. If you have previously been taking anticoagulants/blood thinners, you'll be given medication to reverse the effects and reduce bleeding.

If a bleed is due to a burst aneurysm (weakened blood vessel), you might have a surgical procedure to repair the blood vessel. Surgery is also used to reduce pressure caused by a build-up of fluid.

To avoid further damage to the brain due to lack of blood supply, you may also be given a drug called nimodipine which works by dilating small blood vessels in the brain and helping increasing blood flow to the areas of the brain that are affected.

Clinical Negligence and Strokes

When a healthcare provider’s delay in diagnosis of a stroke or failure to administer the correct treatment results in harm, patients or their families may be entitled to claim compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial damages caused by the negligence.

At Lanyon Bowdler, we specialise in handling claims involving stroke, and we understand the devastating impact that delayed or missed diagnosis can have on individuals and their loved ones. If you believe you or someone you know has been the victim of clinical negligence in relation to stroke, it’s important to seek legal advice as soon as possible.

We are here to support you in understanding your legal rights and seeking justice. Reach out to our expert legal team today for guidance and assistance with clinical negligence claims related to stroke.