STROKE -- URGENT, URGENT, EMERGENCY
March 26, 2010 @ 03:48 PM — by SEO Admin
A stroke occurs when the brain cannot get the oxygen it needs because a blood vessel is either blocked by a clot or the vessel ruptures.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), strokes are the #3 cause of death in the United States after heart disease and cancer. There are warning signs you should know and take immediate action if they occur:
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one eye or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance/coordination
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
It is extremely important to know the time the first symptom occurred because if treated within the first three hours there is a drug that can be given through an IV in the arm by hospital personnel, called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). tPA is the only FDA approved medication that can reduce long-term effects for the most common type of stroke and can be given only within the first three hours after the first symptom occurred.
Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke and is the fancy name describing a clot blocking the flow of blood to the brain. Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a “mini stroke” that has the symptoms of a stroke without the lasting damage.
Strokes can occur at any age but the risks are greater the older you are, if you have a family history of stroke or if you have had a TIA or heart attack. There are several other risk factors/bad habits that you can change, treat or control including… high blood pressure, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise to name a few.
The obvious way to prevent a stroke is to take care of your body ~ it’s the only one you get! However, if you find yourself or anyone around you having any of the symptoms mentioned above, GET HELP FAST!
The warning signs all begin suddenly, your reaction time should also be sudden. The sooner tPA or other medical treatment is begun, the better the chances are for recovery.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), strokes are the #3 cause of death in the United States after heart disease and cancer. There are warning signs you should know and take immediate action if they occur:
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one eye or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance/coordination
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
It is extremely important to know the time the first symptom occurred because if treated within the first three hours there is a drug that can be given through an IV in the arm by hospital personnel, called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). tPA is the only FDA approved medication that can reduce long-term effects for the most common type of stroke and can be given only within the first three hours after the first symptom occurred.
Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke and is the fancy name describing a clot blocking the flow of blood to the brain. Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a “mini stroke” that has the symptoms of a stroke without the lasting damage.
Strokes can occur at any age but the risks are greater the older you are, if you have a family history of stroke or if you have had a TIA or heart attack. There are several other risk factors/bad habits that you can change, treat or control including… high blood pressure, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise to name a few.
The obvious way to prevent a stroke is to take care of your body ~ it’s the only one you get! However, if you find yourself or anyone around you having any of the symptoms mentioned above, GET HELP FAST!
The warning signs all begin suddenly, your reaction time should also be sudden. The sooner tPA or other medical treatment is begun, the better the chances are for recovery.