Get Your Facts Straight About Stroke

No one wants to think about being at risk for stroke. Some people imagine the worst scenario when hearing the word "stroke." But education is a key factor in preventing a stroke from occurring in your life. Let's talk about facts.

Stroke is not a disease.

Stroke strikes the brain.

When brain cells die it is permanent.

Stroke happens when a blood vessel bursts (hemorrhagic) or a blood vessel becomes clogged and blood flow to part of the brain is stopped (ischemic).

Stroke may happen because of high risk factors, anything that causes lack of oxygen to the brain, or a stroke may occur during or after surgery. Anyone at any age can have a stroke.  

Let's be very clear about how many people in the United States are affected by stroke each year. The number is 750,000 and it's is growing as the baby boom generation ages. To put that number into real terms, it is seven times the population of every man, woman, and child of my city in northern Minnesota. The fact is that about 150,000 people in the United States die of stroke annually, so that number would eliminate my city off the face of the map.

What are stroke risk factors?

• A family history of stroke
• Any disease or anything that can cause a malfunction of the vascular system; such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, being over weight, diabetes, drug use, and smoking.
• Age can be a risk factor as stroke increases in incidence after the age of 55. The reason for this could be that other cardiovascular diseases are more apparent at this age and within the elderly population.

What are the warning signs of Stroke?

According to the National Stroke Association the warning signs are:

F  Does one side of the face droop?

A  Does an arm drift downward when both arms are held upright?

C  Can the person repeat a simple command or sentence?

E   Stroke is an Emergency, dial 911 - Time equals brain

The person experiencing these PAINLESS symptoms may not even realize something is amiss. Anything that affects the function of one side of the body, even for a few minutes and then seems to disappear, can be a mini-stroke or precursor to a brain attack.