Knowing the Signs of a Stroke Can Save Lives

Recognizing the signs of a stroke is essential to getting victims to the hospital in time to not only save their lives but to preserve quality of life. Everyone should learn and understand the symptoms of a stroke, since it is a condition that affects 800,000 Americans annually, and it is one where fast action can greatly affect the outcome of the victim’s life.

A stroke happens when the oxygen and blood flow are cut off from the brain. Most of the strokes that occur are ischemic, which occurs when the arteries are blocked by plaque, blood clots, or other fatty deposits. The second kind of stroke is called a hemorrhagic stroke, which occurs when a vessel in the brain breaks and the blood leaks into the brain.

Recognizing the signs of a stroke is essential because you need to get the patient to a hospital within three hours of the onset so they may get TPA or tissue plasminogen activator, which is a drug that bursts clots.

The most common signs of a stroke include sudden weakness or numbness of the face, leg or arm, especially targeted on one side of the body; confusion, including trouble understanding or speaking; difficulty seeing out one or both eyes, or experiencing double vision; trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance; onset of a severe headache with no known cause.

Lynda Lisabeth, from the University of Michigan, said in her recent study that women do not always present with the most common symptoms. Instead, the experienced a “nontraditional symptom of altered mental status, confusion, disorientation, and loss of consciousness.” The main fear is that there could be a delay in treatment if these signs are not recognized immediately as a possible stroke.

There is also a widespread belief that strokes only tend to occur in the elderly. However, anyone can have a stroke, including children. Although the causes of strokes in children are different than adults, the kids need the same immediate attention to improve their outcomes.

The Stroke Awareness campaign asks that we all think “FAST” to help detect the sings of a stroke:

• F = Face. Ask the person to smile for you. Does one side of their face appear to droop?
• A = Arm. Ask them to raise both of their arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S = Speech. Can they repeat a sentence that you say? Is their speech strange or slurred?
• T = Time. If you see any of these signs, immediately dial 911 or get them to the nearest hospital.

The guidelines to improving health and avoiding stroke, from The National Stroke Association, include quitting smoking, lowering intake of sodium and cholesterol, keeping blood pressure under control, keeping diabetes under control, managing atrial fibrillation, drinking in moderation, exercising daily, and treating any kind of circulation problems. 

Get organized by learning everything you can to help prevent and treat the third leading cause of death in the United States today. If you have any of the risk factors such as being over the age of 55, black, male, diabetic, or have a family history of strokes, make the effort now to learn how to help prevent one.

If you have had a stroke, consider a comprehensive stroke rehabilitation program that offers physicians who are specialists in rehab including speech, occupational and physical therapists. Social workers will also be integral in helping with any discharge planning and education you regarding any community support.