Stroke

By Dr. Charity Robinson

Stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States (#5) and the primary cause of serious disability. It is also preventable and treatable. During a stroke every minute counts. Getting to the hospital and receiving treatment early can lessen the brain damage and disabilities that a stroke can cause. By learning the signs and symptoms of a stroke, you may be able to act FAST for a family member or friend and perhaps save a life. Some people are at higher risk for having a stroke. A prior stroke, uncontrolled high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation are all common conditions that can increase a person’s risk of having a stroke.
Signs of a stroke include numbness and weakness on one side of the body such as the face, arm, or leg. People can also have sudden confusion, difficulty speaking, or difficulty understanding what someone else is saying. Other symptoms include imbalance or trouble walking, lack of coordination, change in vision, and a sudden severe headache. If you or someone you know has any of these symptoms, call 911 to get immediate medical attention. If you are unsure if someone may be having a stroke there are a few simple things one can do to help decide how urgent it is. If you remember to act FAST it may help you to: Face – look at their face and asked them to smile, does one side of the face droop or not move? Arms- ask them to raise both arms and does one not move or drift down? Speech- ask them to repeat a simple phrase, is the speech slurred or unable to find the right words? Time- if you see any of these signs: call 911 right away.
When someone is at the hospital with a suspected stroke, they will be seen quickly to establish when the symptoms developed and have brain scans to determine what type of stroke may be occurring. A neurologist, or brain specialist, may be contacted to determine the best intervention to reduce the long term symptoms of a stroke. There are two different types of strokes, and the treatments are very different. A bleeding stroke from a ruptured blood vessel or head injury will need immediate transfer to a stroke center and surgical specialist. An ischemic stroke (87%) is caused by a clot or plaque obstructing blood flow to the brain and can be treated with a strong blood thinner to help break up the clot and recover blood flow, but only if the person gets to the hospital and is treated within 4.5 hours. After 4.5 hours, there are other procedures that can be considered depending on the level of blockage, but many people do not qualify for these interventions. For this reason, it is very important to get to the hospital as soon as you can for stroke symptoms. For those who do not get treatment in time, or do not respond to treatment, they will need rehabilitation to help recover from the stroke, with speech, occupational, and physical therapy. If you or a loved one lives alone, please consider an emergency alert device so they can call for help if they cannot move or reach the phone. Remember, every minute counts, and act FAST.