A COURAGEOUS stroke survivor is helping a charity to raise awareness of the condition.
David Derrett, of Winchester Avenue, is part of the The Stroke Association’s campaign to educate people about the link between atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke.
Stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is cut off. A blockage in one of the blood vessels leading to the brain or a bleed in the brain can cause this.
AF is the most common form of irregular heartbeat and contributes to about one in five strokes and can increase the chances of developing one by up to five times.
Mr Derrett collapsed at a supermarket five years ago after falling asleep at work that morning and waking with a strange feeling in the left side of his body. He said he felt like his left foot was stuck in a block of concrete but carried on as normal.
The 66-year-old, who was leading an active life at the time and had recently completed a charity bike ride, was taken to hospital by ambulance and later diagnosed with AF which needs medication to manage the condition and risk of stroke.
Mr Derrett’s doctor explained the medication options were aspirin mono therapy, which he recommended, or warfarin anticoagulant to thin the blood .
Mr Derrett said: “I think the GP was more worried about the risk of bleeding than further stroke prevention, and that is why he preferred aspirins as a treatment at that time. However this was the exact opposite of my views at the time.”
The stroke survivor added: “I had never heard of AF until I had my stroke so I wanted to be sure I knew all about it. After a lot of research I felt very confident that warfarin was the better choice and protection for me, but without my extensive research into this, I wouldn’t have had a clue. Thankfully I did research into this, but I can imagine many other AF stroke survivors wouldn’t.”
More than one million people in the UK are living with AF, but experts have said correct medication would prevent at least 4,500 strokes a year and more than 3,000 deaths.
Laura Harris, senior marketing officer from the Stroke Association, added: “David’s story highlights the need for patients with AF to be made aware of the most appropriate treatment options to reduce their risk of stroke and help control the condition. AF is manageable. Recognising and receiving proper treatment for AF is important as strokes due to AF are often more severe, but importantly, are avoidable.”
For more information about AF or stroke visit www.stroke.org.uk or call 0303 3033 100.
