Stroke is a word that conjures scary thoughts among people. How do you tell if you or someone else is having a stroke? Studies have shown that many people experiencing a stroke have no idea they’re having one, mainly because they don’t know the symptoms of stroke. Most of us know the symptoms of a heart attack, but people are much less aware of the signs of stroke, even though stroke can be just as deadly.
Additionally, a lot of people are unaware that there are treatments that can help, provided they reach a hospital in time. THREE HOURS! That’s how much time you may have before you can get a life saving drug, if you are having a stroke.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates that someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds, and someone dies every three to four minutes. Strokes are the third leading cause of death in our country.
A stroke, or cerebrovascular accident (CVA), occurs when blood supply to part of the brain is disrupted, causing brain cells to die. Blood flow can be compromised due to a variety of reasons – blockage of an artery, hemorrhage into the brain, or embolism (where a clot breaks off and travels to the brain).
If you think you may be having a stroke, you have to move FAST.
FAST is an acronym developed to remind people of the warning signs of a stroke.
Remember:
- Face: Does the face look uneven?
- Arm: Is one arm or leg weak suddenly?
- Speech: Does speech sound strange?
- Time: It’s time to call 911.
It’s critical to go to the emergency room as soon as possible after the onset of stroke symptoms. If the stroke is being caused by a blood clot, the ER team can administer TPA (Alteplase), which is more commonly known as the clot-busting drug. The earlier it is given, the better the result and the less potential for the complication of bleeding into the brain.
If given within three hours of the stroke (American Heart Association guidelines suggest within 4 ½ hours), TPA has been very successful in dissolving stroke-causing clots and restoring blood flow, thereby improving the chances for recovery.
TPA is injected into a vein in the arm but sometimes can be infused directly into the blood vessel that is blocked.
Those at the greatest risk of a stroke are people suffering from high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes. Additional risk factors include inactivity, cigarette smoking and one’s family history.
The best way to prevent a stroke is to control these risk factors. This can be done by simple lifestyle changes, such as eating a balanced diet, exercising and stopping smoking, but sometimes does require medications.
So the next time you think someone may be having a stroke, you know what to do, and most importantly, act FAST.
This information is strictly an opinion of Dr. Prakash and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Dr. Chris Prakash is a contributing columnist, and author of eParisExtra’s “The Doctor is In” column. He is a medical oncologist at Texas Oncology Paris. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Oncology and Hematology. He lives in Paris, Texas with his wife and two children, and can be reached at 903.785.0031, or Sucharu.prakash@usoncology.com.