Each year, approximately 700,000 Americans suffer from strokes. A stroke, or “brain attack,” occurs when the blood flow to the brain is cut off. The deprived brain loses its supply of oxygen and nutrients and within a few minutes begins to die. Depending on the part of the brain affected, the person suffering the stroke may become paralyzed, blind, or unable to speak.
Warning Signs of Stroke
If you notice one or more of these warning signs – don’t wait! Dial 911 or get to hospital right away:
- Sudden loss of speech, or slurred speech;
- Sudden loss of vision, or blurry or double vision;
- Sudden paralysis;
- Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms or leg, especially on one side of the body;
- Sudden dizziness;
- Sudden, severe headache, often accompanied by neck stiffness and vomiting.
Remember that brain damage increases every minute brain cells are deprived of oxygen. The chances for survival and recovery improve when patients receive medical attention within the first few hours following the onset of warning signs.
Risk Factors for Stroke
Many health factors increase the risk of stroke. Some factors can be combined, while others cannot.
- High blood pressure: Strokes are 4 to 6 times more likely to occur in people with high blood pressure.
- High cholesterol: People with high cholesterol are at double the risk of having a stroke.
- Heart disease: Strokes are 6 times more likely to occur in people with heart disease.
- Being overweight: Excess weight can lead to heart disease and high cholesterol, which in turn, increases the chances of having a stroke.
- Heavy drinking increases the risk of having a stroke.
- Smoking: Smokers are at twice the risk of stroke over non-smokers.
- Men are more likely to have strokes than women.
- African-Americans have a higher rate of stroke than other races.
- After the age of 55, there is an increased likelihood of having a stroke.
- Diabetics are at a higher risk of stroke.
- Those with a family history of stroke or those who have had a prior stroke are at greater risk.
To reduce your risk of stroke you must:
- Control your blood pressure;
- Determine if you have heart disease, especially an irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation (AF);
- Do not smoke;
- Determine if you have a diseased carotid artery (arteries that impede blood flow to the brain);
- Lower your cholesterol;
- Limit alcohol consumption;
- Control your weight; and
- If you have diabetes, manage the disease.
For patients at risk for stroke, medications for blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol are important preventive measures. Smoking must stop! A person who has had transient ischemic attacks (also known as TIAs or mini-strokes) or a stroke may be treated with aspirin or other antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications to reduce the chances for another attack.
Endovascular surgical options are available if blockages are discovered in the arteries which carry blood to the brain. Please select Carotid Artery Disease (Intracranial Artherosclerotic Disease) for additional information.
