Respond “FAST” to Stroke Symptoms
Did you know women are twice as likely to die from stroke than from breast cancer? Many women think of stroke as a man’s problem. They don’t know the symptoms of stroke, or that seeking emergency care is critical when these symptoms occur.
But what they don’t know can make all the difference in how, or even if, they survive a stroke.
“Many people don’t seek immediate medical attention. They make excuses—‘I’m just tired. I’m just stressed. If the headache isn’t gone by tomorrow, I’ll call the doctor.’ But tomorrow will be too late,” says Weill Cornell neurologist Louise Klebanoff, MD.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
If you think someone is having a stroke, act
➤ F is for FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
➤ A is for ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
➤ S is for SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
➤ T is for TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately.
“Brain attack”
The vast majority of strokes occur when an artery that supplies blood to the brain becomes blocked due to plaque buildup in the artery. These types of strokes, called ischemic strokes, are often caused by the same disease that causes heart attack: atherosclerosis. If you have heart disease or peripheral arterial disease, you are already at increased risk for stroke.
The irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation (AFib) is also a risk factor for stroke. People with AFib have five or six times the risk of stroke. AFib increases the likelihood that a clot will form in the heart and be carried by the bloodstream to the brain. Blood flow also can become blocked by a stray piece of plaque or other debris that becomes lodged in an artery.
“Although older age is a risk factor for ischemic strokes, younger women may have strokes, too. Of-ten, stroke is associated with migraines or contraceptive use in younger women,” says Dr. Klebanoff.
Less than 20 percent of strokes occur when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, spilling blood directly into the brain or into the fluid that surrounds the brain. These are called hemorrhagic strokes.
Distinctive symptoms
Ischemic strokes cause a neurological problem to develop suddenly, without warning. This can manifest as weakness or numbness on one side of the body, confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding, loss of balance or trouble walking, and/or loss of sight in one or both eyes.
The most common symptom of a hemorrhagic stroke is an intense, severe headache that also occurs suddenly.
If the symptoms vanish as quickly as they start, you’ve experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also called a “mini-stroke.” This is a warning sign that a major stroke is likely to follow. Seeking immediate treatment can prevent a full-blown stroke from occurring.
POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF STROKE
Taking immediate action if you suspect a stroke is critical for preventing potential long-term effects, which include:
- Vision loss
- Seizures
- Incontinence
- Paralysis
- Impaired movement
- Pain
- Fatigue
- Vascular dementia
- Difficulty speaking or comprehending language
- Memory loss
- Depression
Call 911
The only treatment for a stroke in progress is an infusion of the clot-busting drug tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a protein involved in the breakdown of blood clots; it works by dissolving the clot and improving blood flow to the affected area of the brain. In most cases, it must be given within three hours of symptom on-set. If you wait, you risk being left with a permanent neurological deficit, or, worse, dying. That’s why you need to get medical care immediately.
“Don’t call your doctor and wait for a return call. Don’t go to bed and say you’ll deal with it in the morning. And don’t drive yourself to the hospital. Call 911,” says Dr. Klebanoff. “Time is brain. The faster you get treatment, the greater the likelihood you will have a full recovery.”
Preventing stroke
Lower your stroke risk by keeping your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and weight within normal limits. If you have AFib, you should be taking an anticoagulant, such as warfarin (Coumadin) or one of its new-er counterparts.
Since smoking doubles the risk of stroke, as does drinking more than three glasses of alcohol a day or binge drinking, quitting smoking and reducing your alcohol intake can take you out of harm’s way.
“Because stroke can be debilitating, reducing your risk is wiser than trying to manage the long-term consequences of this devastating event,” says Dr. Klebanoff.
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