Stroke

On average, someone suffers a stroke every 45 seconds, and someone loses their life to a stroke about every three minutes. This adds up to about 700,000 Americans suffering from stroke each year! Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability.

A stroke, or a “brain attack,” occurs when the flow of blood to the brain is somehow interrupted. This is due to a blocked or burst blood vessel.

Transient Ischemic Attacks, or TIAs, are “warning strokes” that can happen before a major stroke, and should be taken very seriously. They occur when blood flow through a brain artery is blocked or reduced for a short time, resulting in temporary symptoms that are similar to those of a full-fledged stroke. A person who has a TIA is 9.5 times more likely to have a stroke.

You can prevent stroke by controlling high blood pressure, reducing your blood cholesterol levels, preventing heart disease, and stopping tobacco use. You should also recognize the signs of TIA and tell your doctor about them right away.

Although stroke is a frightening event, there is help. There are several medical treatments today that help stroke sufferers to maintain their quality of life, but you must act quickly!

The American Stroke Association says the warning signs of a stroke are:

Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause

You may have one or several of these symptoms. Seek help immediately.

Learn to recognize the signs of stroke, because time lost is brain lost. If you or someone you are with begins to have any of these symptoms, call 911 right away.

To Review Stroke Education Materials, click here.

Maine Cardiovascular Health

Stroke