Warning Signs Of Possible Stroke
There are several warning signs of possible stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or difficulty understanding others
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
Stroke Prevention Can Start Today Protect Yourself And Avoid Stroke Regardless Of Your Age Or Family History
What can you do to prevent stroke? Age makes us more susceptible to having a stroke, as does having a mother, father, or other close relative who has had a stroke.
You can’t reverse the years or change your family history, but there are many other stroke risk factors that you can controlprovided that you’re aware of them. Knowledge is power. If you know that a particular risk factor is sabotaging your health and predisposing you to a higher risk of stroke, you can take steps to alleviate the effects of that risk.
How Is A Stroke Treated
Your healthcare provider will create a care plan for you based on:
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Your age, overall health, and past health
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The type of stroke you had
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How severe your stroke was
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Where in your brain the stroke happened
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What caused your stroke
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How well you handle certain medicines, treatments, or therapies
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Your opinion or preference
There is no cure for stroke once it has occurred. But advanced medical andsurgical treatments are available. These can help reduce your risk foranother stroke.
Treatment is most effective when started right away. Emergency treatmentafter a stroke may include:
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Clot-busting medicines . These medicines dissolve the blood clots that cause an ischemic stroke. They can help reduce the damage to brain cells caused by the stroke. To be most effective, they must be given within 3 hours of a stroke occurring.
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Medicines and therapy to reduce or control brain swelling. Special types of IV fluids are often used to help reduce or control brain swelling. They are used especially after a hemorrhagic stroke.
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Neuroprotective medicines. These medicines help protect the brain from damage and lack of oxygen .
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Life support measures. These treatments include using a machine to help you breathe , having IV fluids, getting proper nutrition, and controlling your blood pressure.
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Craniotomy. This is a type of brain surgery that is done to remove blood clots, relieve pressure, or repair bleeding in the brain.
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Treatment For A Stroke
Common treatments include:
- clot-busting drugs and other medicines
- tissue plasminogen activator , which can be effective if a person receives it within around 3 to 4.5 hours of having a stoke
- mechanical clot removal, or thrombectomy, within up to 24 hours of symptoms appearing, based on brain imaging
Long-term treatment aims to:
- reduce the risk of another stroke
- address any functionality they have lost, for example, speech difficulties
The overall impact and treatment for the stroke will depend on the area of the brain involved and the amount of tissue damage. A doctor will decide if this is necessary and if any additional treatment is needed.
- managing blood pressure and cholesterol
- avoiding recreational drug use
Leading a healthful lifestyle with a balanced diet and exercise is another vital part of reducing the risk.
People who have had previous heart or stroke problems may also want to ask their doctor about including a dose of aspirin in their daily regimen.
Cardiovascular Diseases: Avoiding Heart Attacks And Strokes
WHO estimates that more than 17.5 million people died ofcardiovascular diseases such as heart attack or stroke in 2012. Contraryto popular belief, more than 3 out of 4 of these deaths occurred inlow- and middle-income countries, and men and women were equallyaffected.
The good news, however, is that 80% of premature heart attacksand strokes are preventable. Healthy diet, regular physical activity,and not using tobacco products are the keys to prevention. Checking andcontrolling risk factors for heart disease and stroke such as high bloodpressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar or diabetes is alsovery important.
Eat a healthy diet: A balanced diet is crucial to ahealthy heart and circulation system. This should include plenty offruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish and pulses withrestricted salt, sugar and fat intake. Alcohol should also be used inmoderation.
Take regular physical activity: At least 30 minutes ofregular physical activity every day helps to maintain cardiovascularfitness at least 60 minutes on most days of the week helps to maintainhealthy weight.
Avoid tobacco use: Tobacco in every form is veryharmful to health – cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or chewable tobacco.Exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke is also dangerous. The risk ofheart attack and stroke starts to drop immediately after a person stopsusing tobacco products, and can drop by as much as half after 1 year.
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How Does Aspirin Work To Prevent A Heart Attack Or Stroke
Aspirin slows the bloods clotting action by reducing the clumping of platelets. Platelets are cells that clump together and help to form blood clots. Aspirin keeps platelets from clumping together, thus helping to prevent or reduce blood clots.
During a heart attack, blood clots form in an already-narrowed artery and block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle . When taken during a heart attack, aspirin slows clotting and decreases the size of the forming blood clot. Taken daily, aspirins anti-clotting action helps prevent a first or second heart attack.
Strong studies make it possible to link reductions in risk to these habits. Following a healthy lifestyle may prevent over 80% of cases of coronary artery disease, 50% of ischemic strokes, 80% of sudden cardiac deaths, and 72% of premature deaths related to heart disease. In other words, a healthy lifestyle is a good investment in a longer, healthier life.
What Is A Stroke
Strokes occur when there is not enough blood flow to the brain. This lack of blood starves the brain of the essential oxygen it needs to function, leading to brain cell death.
There are two main types of strokes:
- Ischemic strokesresult from a blockage inside a vessel in the brain. 87% of all strokes are ischemic.
- Hemorrhagic strokesresult from a vessel bleed inside the brain. This type is less common, accounting for about 13% of all strokes.
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Aspirin For Reducing Your Risk Of Heart Attack And Stroke: Know The Facts
Information on using aspirin daily, over-the-counter, with other medicines, as well as its side effects
You can walk into any pharmacy, grocery or convenience store and buy aspirin without a prescription. The Drug Facts label on medication products, will help you choose aspirin for relieving headache, pain, swelling, or fever. The Drug Facts label also gives directions that will help you use the aspirin so that it is safe and effective.
But what about using aspirin for a different use, time period, or in a manner that is not listed on the label? For example, using aspirin to lower the risk of heart attack and clot-related strokes. In these cases, the labeling information is not there to help you with how to choose and how to use the medicine safely. Since you don’t have the labeling directions to help you, you need the medical knowledge of your doctor, nurse practitioner or other health professional.
You can increase the chance of getting the good effects and decrease the chance of getting the bad effects of any medicine by choosing and using it wisely. When it comes to using aspirin to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, choosing and using wisely means: Know the facts and work with your health professional.
Diseases Of The Heart And Stroke: Illinois Leading Killers
Heart disease and stroke are, respectively, the first and third leading causes of death and also the major causes of disability in Illinois. In 2010, there were 24,868 deaths in Illinois due to heart disease and 5,333 deaths due to stroke. The total number of deaths from all causes during the year was 99,624.
Prevention efforts coupled with effective disease management can reduce the incidence of heart attacks and strokes, cut the number of deaths from these diseases, and relieve some of the disability suffered by heart attack and stroke survivors.
The Illinois Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program focuses The ABC’s of Cardiovascular Health:
- Aspirin therapy
- Blood pressure control
- Cholesterol management
- Smoking cessation
The Illinois Department of Public Health and its partner agencies and colleagues around the state are making significant progress in helping people to address their risk factors. Successful programs are in place to reduce tobacco use to increase daily physical activity and consumption of fruits, vegetables and low-fat milk and to change environmental and policy systems that can have an impact on heart disease and stroke.
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Risk Factors For Stroke
According to the National Institutes of Healths National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, risk factors for stroke include:
- High blood pressure
- Heart diseases such as cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation
- Personal or family history of stroke or heart disease
- Brain aneurysms or blood vessel malformations
What Makes Stroke More Likely
Doctors analyzed people with AFib who have a stroke at some point in their lives and they found distinct trends. While simply having AFib raises your chances of getting a stroke, there are several other things that when combined with AFib can make strokes even more likely.
Age. Studies say that atrial fibrillation is the direct cause of 1 in 4 strokes in people older than 80 years old.
Gender. Women with AFib have nearly a 50% higher chance of a stroke than men.
Blood pressure. People with AFib and high blood pressure are most at risk of a stroke.
Other things that make stroke more likely for people with AFib include if you have:
- Had a stroke in the past, including a silent or mini-stroke
- A history of heart failure, heart disease or of other heart conditions like myocardial, mitral stenosis, or sick sinus syndrome
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These 2 Everyday Foods Can Prevent Heart Attack And Stroke
July 22, 2021, 7:04 am5.8k Views
In the U.S., 1 in every 4 people die from a heart attack each year, and over 140,000 die from stroke. How can this be prevented?
The University of Alabama at Birmingham discovered a significant link indicating that the foods in your pantry may be able to help. Up ahead, we reveal the everyday foods that could improve your heart health, and save your life.
Addressing Heart Disease And Stroke Prevention Through Comprehensive Population
More than 79 million Americans have cardiovascular disease it is the leading cause of death in the United States . In 2004, CVD was responsible for almost 40% of all deaths among Americans 15.8 million adults had heart disease, 7.9 million had heart attacks, and 5.7 million had strokes . Although the complex constellation of risk factors, conditions, and diseases that constitute CVD is not easily understood by the public, most people are familiar with the terms heart attack and stroke.
DHDSP addresses heart disease and stroke across the prevention continuum through multipronged approaches and across multiple levels of influence on population health . In addition, DHDSP collaborates with national and state partners to affect systems-level policies on strategies that potentially can change behaviors of substantial numbers of Americans where they live, work, play, learn, and obtain health care . The theme articles in this issue of Preventing Chronic Disease reflect the focus of DHDSP and its partners on prevention, detection, and treatment of risk factors and conditions contributing to heart disease and stroke early identification of stroke and heart attack systems of care that directly impact heart disease and stroke and cross-cutting tools and resources for program planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation . Elimination of disparities is crucial to all these areas â thus its inclusion as an overarching goal for Healthy People 2010.
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Who Is At Risk For A Stroke
Anyone can have a stroke at any age. But your chance of having a strokeincreases if you have certain risk factors. Some risk factors for strokecan be changed or managed, while others cant.
Risk factors for stroke that can be changed, treated, or medically managed:
Risk factors for stroke that cant be changed:
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Older age. For each decade of life after age 55, your chance of having a stroke more than doubles.
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Race. African Americans have a much higher risk for death and disability from a stroke than whites. This is partly because the African-American population has a greater incidence of high blood pressure.
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Gender. Stroke occurs more often in men, but more women than men die from stroke.
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History of prior stroke. You are at higher risk for having a second stroke after you have already had a stroke.
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Heredity or genetics. The chance of stroke is greater in people with a family history of stroke.
Other risk factors include:
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Where you live. Strokes are more common among people living in the southeastern U.S. than in other areas. This may be because of regional differences in lifestyle, race, smoking habits, and diet.
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Temperature, season, and climate. Stroke deaths occur more often during extreme temperatures.
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Social and economic factors. There is some evidence that strokes are more common among low-income people.
Rehabilitation After a Stroke: Mary’s Story
Stay Active And Quit Smoking
Good lifestyle habits can keep your health on track. Regular, moderate-to-intense exercise is key to reducing cardiovascular disease risk. Be active for 30 minutes or more on most or all days of the week. If you smoke, quit. Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in the U.S. and contributes to heart disease and stroke. Use our tips to improve your chances of quitting smoking for good.
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Stroke Risk Assessment And Monitoring
A comprehensive evaluation helps us learn more about your risk factors. Your evaluation may include carotid artery ultrasound to evaluate blood flow to the brain.
Our stroke assessment philosophy extends beyond standard screening and includes thorough, individualized assessments. Your care may include:
- Minimally invasive imaging tests like CT scans of the arteries or MRI scans of the arteries to look for signs of neurovascular disease.
- Stress tests of the brain using CT perfusion imaging. These tests require expertise in stroke care and provide detailed information about your stroke risk.
Regular follow-up care, including assessments and imaging when necessary, enables us to meet your individual needs.
Work With Your Health Care Team
You and your health care team can work together to prevent or treat the medical conditions that lead to stroke. Discuss your treatment plan regularly, and bring a list of questions to your appointments. Learn how to find the right doctor for youexternal icon from the Live to the Beat campaign.
If youve already had a stroke or TIA, your health care team will work with you to prevent further strokes. Your treatment plan will include medicine or surgery and lifestyle changes to lower your risk for another stroke. Be sure to take your medicine as directed and follow your doctors instructions.
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Lower Your Risk Of Heart Disease And Stroke
About half of all Americans have at least one of three key risk factors for heart disease and stroke: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking.
Both heart disease and stroke are leading causes of death in the United States. Small but gradual lifestyle changes can have a big impact in preventing disease, or in keeping it from worsening. They can also help you prevent serious complications like heart attack.
Find out what you can do to decrease your risk of developing these conditions. Learn the signs and symptoms and what to do if you or a loved one has them.
Healthy Living Could Be The Key To Stroke Prevention
Strokes, or brain attacks, claim the lives of nearly 160,000 Americans each year. As the fifth leading killer and the most common cause of disability, strokes devastate individuals and families every day. However, strokes can be prevented by up to 80% through adopting a healthy lifestyle and controlling stroke risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
According to the National Stroke Association, two million brain cells die every minute during stroke, increasing the risk of permanent brain damage, disability or death. Recognizing signs of a stroke and seeking immediate medical treatment is crucial for increasing the chance of survival and decreasing the chances of permanent disabilities. Signs of a stroke can come suddenly and include severe headache, dizziness, impaired movement, sight, speech and confusion.
To remember signs of a stroke, use the acronym F.A.S.T. which stands for Face, Arms, Speech and Time. If one side of a persons Face droops, they have difficulty raising one or both Arms or their Speech is slurred, its Time to call 911.
Every 40 seconds, someone suffers from a stroke, but there are steps you can take to prevent them with simple, healthy lifestyle habits. If a stroke does occur, catching it early and getting help immediately is essential for improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.
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