hailey bieber says 'perfect storm' led to mini-stroke

hailey bieber, 25, is shedding new light on the mini-stroke that sent her to the hospital early march. she says a “perfect storm” that included taking birth control with a history of migraines contributed to the formation of a blood clot .

in march, bieber had posted to her instagram stories explaining a blood clot to her brain caused “ stroke-like symptoms ,” prompting the model to rush to the hospital. in a video released on the influencer’s youtube account wednesday, bieber explained what her doctors believe led to the clot.

both migraines and birth control slightly increase the risk of developing blot clots and strokes . combination birth control pills, which contain estrogen and progesterone, are generally safe for women who do not smoke and are generally healthy yet experience migraines without auras, according to migraine canada . those who experience migraines with auras — when the migraine triggers sensory disturbances such as flashing lights and vision abnormalities — have a higher risk of developing a stroke.

a pfo allowed the clot to travel to her brain

a pfo is a small opening between the upper chambers of the heart, allowing a small amount of blood to flow between the right and left atrium, according to johns hopkins university . pfos are seen after birth, however, two flaps soon develop to create a wall between these chambers. scientists don’t know what causes the wall to form, however, if it doesn’t the pfo can remain into adulthood.

blood clots and “mini strokes”

dr. shazam hussain, director of the cerebrovascular center at cleveland clinic, told people magazine that these events are often classified as a transient ischemic attack (tia), also known as a mini stroke.

tia is a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain, according to the heart and stroke foundation . the blockage is usually caused by a blood clot or plaque buildup in the arteries and passes in less than an hour. although the effects of tia are temporary, it is usually a sign that the patient is at a much higher risk of having a full stroke, so medical intervention is necessary.

healthy diet, exercise, medications and diagnosis of any underlying medical disorders — for example, high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, diabetes or high cholesterol — are all things that should be explored to manage the risks of a stroke. having contracted covid-19 is also linked to an increased risk of developing blood clots.

act fast: recognizing the signs of a stroke

strokes are the leading cause of disability in canada and the third leading cause of death, according to the ontario stroke network . every year, about 50,000 many people have a stroke in canada, amounting to roughly one every 10 minutes.

while strokes disproportionately affect those over the age of 65, young adults are not immune. from 2012 to 2013, 960 canadians between the ages of 20- and 24-years-old (0.04 per cent of all canadians in this age bracket) and 2,790 canadians between the ages of 25 to 29 (0.1 per cent of all canadians in this age bracket) experienced a stroke, according to the canadian chronic disease surveillance system data.

stroke symptoms can be spotted using the mnemonic fast, according to the heart and stroke foundation . (remember it by the moniker “if you see stroke symptoms, act fast.”) f stands for face: the muscles on one side may be drooping and the individual may be unable to smile with their entire mouth; a stands for arms: the individual may not be able to raise one or both arms fully; s stands for speech, which may be jumbled or slurred; t stands for time: act quickly — call 911.