What is a Stroke?
A stroke
results from a disease process that affects the arteries of the brain. A stroke
occurs when a blood vessel bringing blood to the brain gets blocked or ruptures
so brain cells don't get the flow of blood that they need.
Deprived of oxygen, nerve cells cannot function and die within minutes. When
these nerve cells die, the parts of the body they control cannot function
either. These devastating effects are often permanent because brain cells
cannot be replaced.
Other
names for a stroke include:
- Cerebral
Vascular Accident (CVA)
- Ischemic Stroke
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
- Intracranial Hemorrhage (ICH)
- Cerebral
Thrombosis
What are the different
types of Strokes?
There are
three types of strokes:
- An Ischemic Stroke is a stroke caused by a
blocked artery. This is the most common type of stroke and can sometimes
be treated with clot busting drugs.
- A Hemorrhagic Stroke is a stroke caused
by bleeding into the brain tissue. This stroke is caused by a ruptured
blood vessel.
- A (TIA),
or a Transient Ischemic Attack.
What is a TIA?
A TIA, or a Transient Ischemic Attack. is also
called a “mini stroke” and occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery for a
short time. The symptoms of a TIA are like the warning signs of a stroke but they
usually last only a few minutes. About 10 % of strokes are preceded by
TIAs and are a very strong predictor of stroke risk. TIAs are a medical
emergency and should be treated immediately.
What are the Warning Signs?
Warning signs of a stroke can include:
- Sudden weakness
or numbness of the face arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
- Sudden
confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble
seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble
walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden, severe
headache with no known cause
If you
recognize any of these symptoms, act FAST.
- "F" stands
for Face.
Ask the person to smile. If the face is droopy on one side, that is a sign
of a stroke. Call 9-1-1 immediately.
- "A" stands
for Arm.
Ask the person to raise both arms. If one arm drifts down or has no
resistance to it that is a sign of a stroke. Call
9-1-1 immediately.
- "S" stands
for Speech.
Ask the person to say a simple phrase. If the person's speech is slurred
or not able to be understood. Call 9-1-1 immediately.
- "T" stands
for Time.
Diagnosis and treatment of an ischemic stroke must be within 3 hours of
the time of onset of symptoms. Call 9-1-1 immediately
Are You Smoking?
- Tobacco use is
the number one preventable cause of serious illnesses such as heart
disease, stroke, lung cancer, and emphysema.
- An estimated
25.1 million men and 20.9 million women smoke cigarettes.
STOP SMOKING NOW!!
Smoking can make
cardiovascular disease worse, so if you smoke, you should stop
immediately.
High Blood Pressure
(Hypertension)
High
blood pressure (BP), is the single most important risk factor for stroke.
Many believe control of high blood pressure is a key reason to decrease the
death rates for stroke.
It is
estimated that the prevalence of high blood pressure in adults over the age of
20 is approximately 72 million in the United States alone.
Up to 95
% of high blood pressure are from unknown causes, but the condition is easily
detectable and treatable.
In
addition to medications, diet, exercise, and weight loss can assist in
controlling your blood pressure.
-
Please ask to see a dietitian to assist you with healthy diet choice to
lower both your blood pressure and cholesterol
-
Normal blood pressure is 120/80
-
High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher
High Cholesterol
(Hyperlipidemia)
About 36
million American adults have total cholesterol levels above 240 mg/dL.
- Normal total
cholesterol should be below 200 mg/dL.
- Normal
triglyceride level should be below 150mg/dL.
- Normal HDL, or
good cholesterol, should be 40 mg/dL or higher.
- Normal LDL, or
bad cholesterol, should be less than 100 mg/dL
In
addition to medications, diet, exercise, and weight loss can help control
cholesterol levels.
Diabetes
Diabetes is an independent risk factor for stroke.
Many people with diabetes also have high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, and are overweight. Diabetes is manageable with medications
such as insulin, glipizide, and/or glyburide. Diet and exercise can also help
manage diabetes.
Your
physician may perform a lab test called a hemoglobin A1C which will let them
know how well your diabetes has been controlled in the last 90
days.
For
someone who does not have diabetes, a normal A1C level should range from 4.5%
to 6%. Someone who's had uncontrolled diabetes for a long time might have an
A1C level above 8%.
When the
A1C test is used to diagnose diabetes, an A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on
two separate tests indicates you have diabetes. For most people who have
previously diagnosed diabetes, an A1C level of 7% or less is a common treatment
target.
To learn
more about Strokes, signs and symptoms, medications, and how to help a loved
one visit http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/