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 Amy Lindsay, MD Neurologist Know the Warning Signs Andrea was shopping when she began to experience numbness on her right side. She tried to alert her husband, but she couldn't make her mouth form the words properly. When he asked her what was wrong, Andrea couldn't understand what he was saying. Andrea was experiencing a stroke. Fortunately, her husband recognized the symptoms and got her immediate medical attention. Today, after rehabilitation therapy and a determined effort, Andrea has fully recovered. Each year approximately 700,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke in the United States. More than 163,000 of these people die, making stroke the third-leading cause of death. Learning to recognize a stroke is crucial because, in the words of the American Stroke Association, "Time lost is brain lost." Understanding Strokes Strokes are often known as "brain attacks." A stroke occurs when a blood vessel bringing oxygen and nutrients to the brain is clogged (ischemic stroke) or bursts (hemorrhagic stroke). The damaged vessel doesn't deliver the blood and oxygen the brain needs, and nerve cells in the affected area of the brain die within minutes. Some people experience "ministrokes" called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). A TIA is a "warning stroke" that produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage. While most strokes aren't preceded by TIAs, more than one-third of people who've had one or more TIAs will later have a stroke. Amy Lindsay, MD, a neurologist at Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, states, "Educating the public about the warning signs of stroke is of paramount importance. I am so saddened when I see a patient in the hospital who has disabling symptoms of a stroke, but did not recognize those symptoms in time to receive treatment. If we can teach people to recognize the symptoms of a stroke at the onset and to seek immediate medical attention, we can significantly reduce the impact of this disease in our community." Could You Be a Stroke Victim? Anyone can have a stroke. While you can't control some risk factors, such as being more than 60 years old or having a family history of strokes or TIAs, you can work with your physician to control or treat other risk factors. These include:
Watch for These Warning Signs Blood deprivation to the brain can affect a stroke victim's senses, motor activity, speech and ability to understand speech, behavior and thought patterns, memory and emotions. Paralysis or weakness on one side of the body is common. It is crucial to seek immediate medical treatment to minimize the damage caused by a stroke. Even if symptoms are temporary and last only a few minutes, they may hint at a TIA and should not be ignored. Call 911 if the following symptoms suddenly appear.
To learn more about the prevention
and treatment of strokes
and TIAs, call 281-477-2500 for a physician referral. You
can also visit the American
Heart Association's Web site at
www.americanheart.org or
call 800-242-8721. |
