Warning Signs of a Stroke

About 700,000 people in the United States suffer strokes each year, and about 500,000 of these are first attacks and 200,000 are recurrent attacks. Strokes are the 3^rd cause of death in the United States. New therapies and rehabilitation techniques developed by hospitals like Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is saving lives and reducing brain damage in patients.

What is a Stroke?

A stroke interrupts the flow of blood to the brain. The blood flow to the brain carries oxygen and nutrients that feed the brain keeping it alive and healthy. Without oxygen and nutrients, the brain begins to experience damage and die. The severity of the damage depends on the extent and severity of the blockage, what part of the brain was affected, and how quickly the person was treated.

There are two causes of strokes:

Ischemic strokes are caused by a blockage of blood supply to a certain area of the brain. This could be a clot or the effects of atherosclerosis. A patient is more likely to survive this kind of stroke and suffer less brain damage.

A hemorrhagic stroke is when there is bleeding into the brain tissue that kills the blood cells. It is mainly caused by a fall, aneurysm, hypertension, amyloid angiopathy, or car accident. I knew a man who was in great physical health for his age. In moving to a new retirement home, he fell, hit his head and died within minutes. We had a neighbor who went to eat fast food. She choked on her food and collapsed on the floor hitting her head. Emergency did not get there for 20 minutes. She was brain dead at that point. They took her the hospital and tried several things to revive her brain, none of which worked. They turned off the tubes and she passed away 4 days later. I can't emphasize the importance of quick treatment enough. It saves lives and brain damage. Minutes, seconds count!

Symptoms Of A Stroke:

A stroke comes on quickly and damages the brain within minutes. Symptoms include: sudden,severe headache with no cause such as illness or allergies; loss of feeling or paralysis in one arm, leg, or one side of the body: drooping of one side of the cheek, one eye, or mouth; partial loss of hearing or vision; double vision; dizziness; nausea and vomiting; loss of balance; seizures; slurred speech; Problems talking, forming words,

What Is a TIA?

I took care of an elderly friend of mine, I had the opportunity to observe a mild stroke. The lady I took care was as mentally sharp as someone 20 years younger. I came by one morning to see her and she was still in bed. Her speech was slurred and she was making no sense at all. Her speech was disjointed and she could not tell me what day it was or her birth date. She refused to call the doctor, but her husband did. They took her to the emergency room and she had suffered a mild stroke. They kept her in the hospital for a day and then sent her home. She did recover her speech and mental abilities shortly. She had suffered a TIA or mild stroke. TIA's are often forerunners for massive strokes that kill or permanently paralyze the patient.

Stroke Treatment:

Call 911 immediately and explain the patient's symptoms. Quick action can sometimes reduce damage to the brain. The hospital may give oxygen, anticoagulants, or intravenous fluids to help reduce the stroke's effects. It is important that these measures be given during the first 3 hours after the stroke to be the most effective. Rehabilitation is later utilized to help the patient restore their ability to walk, talk, and use their limbs. Symptoms that continue after 6 months may be permanent but in some cases may improve months later.

References:

www.cedars-sinai.edu/2406.html

www.cedars-sinai.edu/2424.html

www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml