Start the Rest of Your Life on World Stroke Day
Start the Rest of Your Life on World Stroke Day
Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability in the United States.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 95,000 Americans have a stroke each year. Survival rates improve significantly when treatment begins quickly, and patients who receive timely care often have better long-term outcomes than those whose treatment is delayed. Increasing public awareness of stroke warning signs and risk factors is one of the most effective ways to reduce the global burden of stroke.
Early Signs and Symptoms of Stroke
Oklahoma news anchor Julie Chin is grateful her colleagues recognized the signs of stroke while she was on the air. When Chin experienced sudden partial vision loss, numbness in her arm and hand, and difficulty speaking and reading the teleprompter, a co-worker called 911. Chin was rushed to a nearby hospital, where a series of tests revealed she had suffered the "beginning of a stroke." Chin has since recovered and now encourages others to learn the BE FAST acronym used by medical professionals to identify stroke symptoms quickly.
BE FAST:
- Balance: Is the person having a hard time staying balanced or coordinated?
- Eyes: Is the person experiencing blurry vision, double vision, or loss of vision in one or both of their eyes?
- Face: Is one side of the person's face drooping? Test this by asking them to smile.
- Arms: Is the person experiencing numbness or weakness in their arms? Ask them to raise their arms.
- Speech: Is the person's speech slurred? Are you having a hard time understanding them? Have them try to repeat a simple sentence.
- Time to call for help: If the person is exhibiting one or a combination of the above signs, call 911 and get them to the nearest hospital as soon as possible.
Stroke Risk Factors
Both lifestyle and medical conditions can increase a person's risk of stroke. Ramesh Grandhi, MD, a cerebrovascular neurosurgeon at University of Utah Health’s Stroke Center, emphasizes the importance of primary care providers educating patients about stroke risk and encouraging steps to reduce it.
Lifestyle risk factors include:
- Overweight or obesity
- Heavy or binge drinking
- Physical inactivity
- Cigarette smoking
- Use of illegal drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamine
Medical risk factors include:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Sleep apnea
- Cardiovascular disease
- Hormone use, including estrogen
Although stroke risk increases with age, strokes can occur at any stage of life. The CDC reports that nearly 38% of all people hospitalized for stroke are younger than 65. Black and Hispanic patients also have a higher risk of stroke than people of other races.
Understanding the Effects of Stroke
A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when a blood vessel carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts, resulting in oxygen starvation, brain damage, and loss of function.
Grandhi stresses the importance of identifying the type of stroke a patient has experienced.
- Ischemic strokes account for about 85% of all cases, and occur when a blood clot blocks an artery in the brain.
- Hemorrhagic strokes make up about 15% of cases, and occur when a blood vessel ruptures, often due to high blood pressure or other underlying conditions, such as hypertension.
"Each patient is different," Grandhi says. "Some require surgical intervention and follow-up care."
He and his team work closely with neurologists with advanced training in the care of patients with stroke. Together, they are responsible for treating ischemic stroke patients and hemorrhagic stroke patients using a variety of techniques.
Grandhi says the goals of follow-up care include:
- Improving the long-term outcomes for stroke survivors
- Prevention of a secondary stroke
- Maximizing patients’ recovery by working together with a multi-disciplinary team of therapists and rehab physicians
On World Stroke Day, take time to learn the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of stroke. Think of it as the first day of the rest of your life and resolve to improve your health, be alert, and react quickly to the BE FAST symptoms displayed by friends, family, and even strangers.
How to Reduce Your Risk of Stroke
Stroke is often sudden—but rarely without warning. Stroke specialist Dana DeWitt, MD, talks about the most common causes of stroke and the essential steps to prevent a second one.
