How can I explain the difference between a stroke and a seizure?!

A stroke, or CVA (cerebrovascular accident), is caused by an interrupted flow of blood to the brain. As such, if you were to strangle someone using the correct technique they would fall unconscious in around three seconds due to the interrupted blood flow. After around 10 minutes, permenant brain damage can occur if untreated.

In strokes, the blood is usually interrupted by blockage or haemorrhage in the arteries that supply the brain, e.g. the carotid artery. Strokes are generally identifiable by three pointers, as advertised by the Stroke Association campaign FAST: Facial weakness (can the person smile?), Arm weakness (can the person raise their arms?), Speech problems (is the person's speech slurred?), Time (time to call for help).

Seizures, on the other hand, are caused by abnormal neuronal activity in the brain. There are many factors that can contribute to this (as I know from personal experience), e.g. hypoglycaemia, stress, sleep deprivation etc. They are usually characterised by convulsions - i.e. shaking.

There is, however, sometimes a causal link between strokes and seizures, depending on the type of stroke:

"Haemorrhagic stroke can occasionally present with seizures, embolic strokes generally do not (though epilepsy is a common later complication); cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, a rare type of stroke, is more likely to be accompanied by seizures than other types of stroke."

Just remember: stroke, interrupted blood flow; seizure, abnormal brain activity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seizure
http://www.stroke.org.uk/campaigns/raisi…

seizure is shaking when the body temp elevated. stroke is increase blood pressure you can ask the patient or person if they can still talk or you can do basic assesment like looking at the eyes