Diagnosing and Treating A Stroke
If you or someone you know is having a stroke, a quick diagnosis and treatment might be the difference between life or death or permanent paralysis if the stroke victim survives. So it is essential that you know the signs of a stroke.If you can get the stroke victim to the hospital within three hours of the attack, the odds are good that the victim will not only survive but have a complete recovery.
First, some facts about strokes and who is mmost likely to suffer one.Strokes kill one person each minute in the U.S. alone. Of the 750,000 victims each year, one-third die, and another third suffer permanent paralysis, loss of speech or memory lapses.
Strokes can be caused by any one of several factors, but basically the immediate cause is a blockage of blood to the brain by plaque build up in the carotid artery or by a piece of plaque breaking free and blocking blood to the brain.
Who’s At Risk
Your chances of having a stroke are higher if you fall into these categories
1) Hereditary–If a person comes from a family where other members have suffered strokes.
2) Gender–Women are more likely to have a stroke than men.
3) Age–The chance of having a stroke approximately doubles for each decade of life after age 55.The incidence of stroke is higher among persons over 65, but younger people have them,too.
4) Race–African Americans are more likely to have one than are Caucasians.
5) Medical History–Sickle cell anemia. Sickled red blood cells are less able to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues and organs. They adhere to the blood vessel walls,which clogs the arteries to the brain and causes a stroke.
Also, persons who have already had a stroke before or a TIA, a mini-stroke with no permanent damage,are much more likely to have another stroke.
Signs of A Stroke
Doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking the victim four simple questions:
1.Ask the person to flash a big smile at you. If he’s having a stroke, his smile will be crooked.
2.) Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)(i.e. It’s a beautiful day today. Stroke victims will not be able to do this.
3.See if the victim can Raise Both Arms. He’ll only be able to raise one.
4.Ask the person to stick out his or her tongue. If the person can’t stick his tongue out straight, then it’s likely a stroke is the cause.
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
Additional signs of a TIA, or mini-stroke, include a feeling that one leg or arm is heavier than the other and walking or climbing stairs is difficult.The victim might trip going up the stairs because one leg didn’t clear a stair. The victim loses his or her sense of balance and might even fall over and then have difficulty getting up.
If you or the person you’re with has these signs, get to a hospital immediately as it’s a matter of life and death.You’ll get top priority for getting an immediate diagnosis and treatment. And congratulations! The odds are you will survive and not experience any permanent damage.
If this happens to you or your friend, consider this a warning, and lifestyle changes and digilence in the future are mandatory.
