Blood pressure and stroke

[Catchy]

Hi-I realize all human beings are different, but as a guestimate, is there a blood pressure threshold after which stroke occurs? I've experienced warning signs-what I suspect are TIA's. I almost went to the er the last time. Someone told me the emergency response to impending stroke is injection of muscle relaxants? Does that prevent the stroke from occurring by reducing the heart pumping? Can you slide into a heart attack from that? If you are worried both about stroke and heart attack is aspirin still a good first step? Also, I am not a migraine sufferer, but I work with someone who is-are they inherently more prone to stroke?
Thanks-

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

High blood pressure is a well known risk factor for stroke and heart disease. The accepted definition for increased blood pressure is 140/90mmHg. This does not mean you'll have a stroke if your BP goes over this number. But if it is persistently high over a prolonged period of time (months), then you are at high risk for a stroke.

A muscle relaxant is ABSOLUTELY NOT the drug for stroke as it can mask any neurological deficit that can point the clinician and patient to the area that is at risk for damage by the stroke and has no effect on brain perfusion. Aspirin is an excellent drug for stroke (given that it is not a hemorrhagic (bleeding stroke) as well as heart disease.

There does seem to be an association with migraine (vascular headache in which the blood vessels react abnormally) and stroke. But it is certainly not a well known risk factor as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and smoking are. Good luck.

[headproblemz]

Can you please explain what a TIA feels like, as I am not sure about the feeling of one.

[Catchy]

TIA? Think of them as warnings?

For me, the first event was one day at work suddenly with no warning the left 1/2 of the vision in the left eye was suddenly gone. Did you ever know someone who was blind and wonder what it was like? It is not the same thing as closing your eyes. Anyway, I was on birth control pills and my bp was high and I had it checked immed. and it was really high. But within one hour the vision faded back in the way a cloud passes over the sun. The rest of the day a headache slowly grew in proportion and I could tell I was somewhat disoriented that night. Headaches were rare for me. I stopped taking birth control pills.

Second, 5yrs later, I would wake at 4-5am with bad headaches. This is when I started blood pressure medication and the headaches instantly stopped.

Third, on the rare occasion when I throw up, flu for example, the older I get, I started to break blood vessels in my face-looks like some took a red pen and drew a short line.

Fourth, this happened 6wks ago, I had a sudden, I mean split second sudden,fierce pain in the front left side of my head-nauseous, wanted to throw up, crying just from pain, and barely able to make any decisions because it hurt so bad. Blood pressure was taken (I work in a hospital) and it was 198/126. That is why I wonder about the threshold for stroke.

Fifth, for last 5yrs I have been experiencing what I call random zaps. They occur without warning, usually at rest, and you can tell there is a "branch" distribution? Left side of chest, under breast on the side, and branches up under the armpit? Makes you want to dig your fingers deep into the skin to massage the area?

Sixth, I am noticing cramping in my calves more often.

Not all of these events are probably textbook examples of TIA but those are my experiences.