Submitted by the Illinois Neurological Institute
Stroke. Someone in the United States suffers from one every 40 seconds, yet fewer than 10 percent of people having a stroke arrive at the hospital quickly enough to receive the best treatment because they didn’t recognize the symptoms.
Stroke, also known as a brain attack, blocks blood flow to the brain, depriving it of oxygen. As oxygen is blocked, brain cells begin to die, affecting vision, movement, speech, or behavior. Stroke is as much a medical emergency as a heart attack. Prompt recognition of stroke signs and immediate emergency care is key to treating stroke and having the best possible outcome.
Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death and the number one cause of adult disability in the United States. “Stroke tends to be painless. Most people having a stroke are unaware they are having symptoms,” said Dr. Deepak Nair, Medical Director of Inpatient and Acute Neuroscience Services for the Illinois Neurological Institute and OSF HealthCare. “It is a unique feature of the brain. It doesn’t like you to be uncomfortable. A lot of stroke patients come in thinking they are not having a stroke because they are not aware of it. Early recognition—it is the hardest but also the most important part about stroke.”
Know the Signs of a Stroke
One in three Americans don’t know the signs of a stroke. The ability to recognize stroke symptoms and call 911 immediately could save a life. Time is vital when it comes to stroke.
F.A.S.T. is a helpful way to remember the stroke signs:
F—Face Drooping
A—Arm Weakness
S—Speech Difficulty
T—Time to Call 911
To test for facial drooping, ask someone to smile or frown. If one side of the face is drooping, that’s a sign of facial muscle loss.
To test for arm weakness, ask someone to hold both arms in front of them. If it is difficult to raise one arm, that’s a sign of arm weakness.
To test for speech difficulty, ask someone to repeat after you. If it’s difficult to speak, or if speech is mumbled, that’s a sign of speech difficulty.
“The F.A.S.T. exam is a great tool to use to help educate people about the signs of a stroke,” Dr. Nair said. “If someone has even one of the above symptoms, the likelihood of that person having a stroke is over 70 percent.” Other symptoms include trouble seeing out of one or both eyes, loss of sensation on one side of the body, or leg weakness.
If you recognize one or more of these signs, call 911 immediately. It is also important to note when the symptoms started. The stroke care team will most likely need to know for the most accurate treatment.
Know the Risk Factors for a Stroke
Approximately 80 percent of strokes are preventable by knowing the risk factors and warning signs of a stroke. “There are some things we can do to help lower our chances of stroke, such as regular physical activity, a well-balanced diet, identifying and managing chronic risk factors, such as diabetes and high blood pressure,” Dr. Nair said.
Controllable risk factors include:
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Sleep apnea
• Atrial fibrillation—irregular heartbeat
• Smoking—smokers have up to four times higher risk
Some risk factors are not controllable. “The most significant uncontrollable risk factor for stroke is living longer. The longer we live, the higher our chance for stroke,” Dr. Nair said. That’s not to say strokes can’t happen to younger people, too. Stroke patients are becoming younger and younger.
Gender is another uncontrollable risk factor. “Twenty years ago, men had a higher chance for stroke than women. However, that has reversed now. In the last decade, women are having strokes at a much higher rate than men are,” Dr. Nair said.
Know the Types of Stroke
There are two types of stroke. The first is an ischemic stroke—the more common kind of stroke—accounting for about 85 percent of all strokes. An ischemic stroke occurs when blood is blocked to the brain in a blood vessel by a blood clot, causing the brain to be deprived of oxygen.
The second type is called a hemorrhagic stroke, which accounts for approximately 15 percent of strokes. However, this type of stroke is responsible for about 40 percent of all stroke deaths. Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel breaks, causing blood to seep into brain tissue.
A transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as a mini stroke, can also occur and should not be taken lightly. It is caused by blockage of blood flow to a tiny artery, which causes stroke symptoms, but the symptoms usually resolve in 20 minutes or less. Though the symptoms stop, emergency medical care should be called immediately so the person having symptoms can be evaluated and monitored. That’s because 15 percent of people who experience TIA suffer an ischemic stroke, usually within a few days.
Remember, knowing the signs of stroke and calling 911 immediately gives you the best chance of a successful recovery. You can learn your risk for stroke by taking a stroke risk assessment at www.osfstroke.org.