Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Strokes occur when a blood vessel, that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain, is either blocked by a clot or ruptures. When that happens, part of the brain can’t get the oxygen it needs, and brain cells die. Early detection and treatment are critical because on average, 1.9 million brain cells die every minute that a stroke goes untreated. Calling 911 as soon as symptoms are detected allows first responders to start treatment before a patient even arrives at the hospital. Prompt treatment leads to higher survival and lower disability rates.
Although every stroke is unique depending on the location of the obstruction and the extent of brain tissue affected, there are a few common symptoms that if detected will allow us to respond quickly if we or someone we know has a stroke. The letters F.A.S.T. are used to remind us of these symptoms and to respond in a timely manner. The F.A.S.T. letters are explained below.
F.A.S.T. WARNING SIGNS
F = Face Drooping
Ask the person to smile. Is the person's smile uneven? Does one side of the face droop or is it numb?
A = Arm Weakness
Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Is one arm weak or numb?
S = Speech Difficulty
Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like “the sky is blue.” Is their speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand?
T = Time to call 911
If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get to a hospital immediately.
Be aware that some of the signs can be subtle, especially in women, and are often missed or brushed off. It’s better to call 911 and be safe rather than sorry. Knowing other symptoms of stroke can also be helpful.
OTHER STROKE SYMPTOMS - Watch for Sudden…
Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Severe headache with no known cause
Numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
STROKE PREVENTION
Research shows that up to 80% of strokes are preventable through healthy lifestyle changes. So although it is important to recognize and respond quickly to a stroke, it is even more important to make healthy lifestyle changes now that will help us prevent or delay having a stroke in the first place. If we are over 40 years old and have never had a heart attack or stroke, we can use the Check. Change. Control. Calculator. to estimate our risk of having an event in the next 10 years. Although some risk factors are unchangeable, many can be improved through healthy lifestyle changes. Knowing our risk factors will give us an opportunity to put together an effective risk management plan. Below are five things we can do to help prevent strokes.
- Eat a healthy diet
A healthier diet includes eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and plant-based proteins. It also includes limiting refined carbohydrates, processed meats, and sweetened drinks; and using the nutrition facts labels to cut back on sodium, added sugars and saturated fats, and avoid trans-fats. - Be physically active
As adults we should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. – This is one of the best ways to stay healthy, prevent disease, and age well. If we are already active, we can increase the intensity of our activity for even more benefits. Physical activity also means intentionally finding ways to just move more throughout the day such as taking stretching breaks, sitting less, taking the stairs, and parking farther away. - Manage weight
This means losing weight if we are overweight or obese. A quick way to see where we are at is by checking our body mass index (BMI). We can lose weight by eating more plant-based foods which contain fewer calories and by moving more. If we need help maintaining a healthy weight, we can talk to our health care team about an appropriate weight loss plan. - Manage health conditions
Managing high blood pressure (hypertension) is the number one preventable cause of stroke. Also, managing conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood sugar, kidney disease, diabetes, and A Fib can also reduce our risk for stroke. It’s important to work with our health care team to know how to effectively manage these conditions. Many conditions can be improved or managed by eating better, exercising, losing weight, and taking medications as directed. - Live tobacco and alcohol free
To reduce our risk for stroke we want to eliminate any tobacco products and avoid secondhand smoke! Additionally, drinking too much alcohol can raise the levels of some fats in the blood known as triglycerides. A high triglyceride level combined with high LDL (bad) cholesterol or low HDL (good) cholesterol has been associated with fatty buildup in the artery walls that can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The bottom line is healthy living is the best way to delay or avoid strokes. This means being active and fit, eating healthy, avoiding tobacco, and managing health conditions that can put us at greater risk. With a little effort and we can implement healthy lifestyle habits that will put us on a trajectory of health.
Information was taken from the American Stroke Association website.