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Q. What is a
stroke?
The American
Stroke Association, working with the American Heart
Association, define stroke as a type of heart disease that
affects the brain and arteries in the body. Typically a stroke
is an acute condition that occurs when a clot blocks the flow
of blood and oxygen to the brain, or when a blood vessel
ruptures and then prevents blood and oxygen from getting to
the brain and supplying nutrients to the brain.
A stroke can
result in many symptoms and much damage to the brain,
depending on its severity. When a clot interrupts the blood
flow and oxygen flow to the brain within a vessel, doctors
refer to this as an “ischemic stroke.”
If a vessel
in the brain or body ruptures, and blood leaks into the brain
many refer to this as a “hemorrhagic” stroke. Most survivors
suffer an ischemic stroke. Less than 20 percent of victims
suffer a hemorrhagic stroke.
Q. What are
transient strokes?
Transient
ischemic or “mini” strokes are minor or minimal strokes that
often serve as a sign that a major stroke is pending. They
result from minor or short-term obstructions of oxygen,
nutrients and blood to the brain. A full stroke may follow a
month after such an attack or after a series of these mini
attacks. These mini attacks may also precede a full stroke by
just hours, which is one reason early intervention is so
important and critical to one’s survival.
Q. Are there
any warning signs of a stroke?
TIA’s or
transient ischemic attacks often serve as a warning sign of a
stroke. The most common symptoms associated with these
include:
The sooner
you recognize these signs and seek help, the less likely you
are to suffer severe side-effects of a stroke. Patients
treated early often experience very high recovery rates and
enjoy a good quality of life following a stroke. Some people
do not want to see their doctor for fear that nothing is wrong
and they will waste time. Never feel this way. It is always
better to be safe than to feel sorry.
If you
suspect something is wrong, get it checked out immediately.
Q. Can I
prevent a stroke?
Early
detection is critical to prevention, as is a good and healthy
lifestyle. While some strokes simply happen, there are steps
people can take to prevent them. This is especially true of
patients who have suffered a stroke and want to prevent a
stroke from recurring. Most patients who have had a stroke
will be at greater risk for having another stroke.
Some
treatments that can help prevent recurrent strokes include:
Q. How many
people have strokes in any given year?
Statistics
provided by the National Institutes of Health and other
organizations including the American Heart Association suggest
that over 700,000 people are affected by a stroke every year.
Nearly 200,000 may die or suffer debilitating consequences.
Stroke is the #3 killer in the United States, with only heart
disease and cancer ranking above it.
Throughout
the world the incidence of stroke is much higher. Many factors
contribute to one’s risk of stroke, including hereditary
factors, lifestyle factors and independent health factors.
Q. My partner
had a stroke. It has been very difficult for me to cope. I
feel like I don’t have anyone I can talk to that can relate. I
don’t want to place any more burdens on my partner who has
already gone through so much.
SUPPORT is an
important part of anyone’s journey, whether that support comes
in the way of patient support for stroke survivors or support
for caregivers and family members. It is often difficult to
cope with the changes that stroke brings about in one’s life.
Stroke does not just impact the way the stroke survivor lives,
but also the way members of his or her family live. What can
you do to feel better?
The best step
you can take is to find a supportive group of people to lean
on in times where you need support and assistance. You can
find support through local community groups or online. One
great place to connect with other friends and family members
of stroke survivors is:
http://www.americanheart.org. Here you can look for the
AHA Stroke Connection, or call them at 1-800-553-6321 for
direct assistance and subscribe to a support group and
magazine committed to improving the lives of survivors and
their families.
Another place
to look for help is the National Family Caregivers
Association, at
http://www.nfcacares.org where you will find people able
to direct you to the resources you need to find answers to
your questions.
If you feel
comfortable talking with your own doctor (and you should) you
can ask your doctor for a recommendation to a local support
group. Family counseling or independent therapy may also help
you cope during the tough times that follow a stroke. A
qualified therapist can help you and your partner cope with
feelings of loss and confusion.
Q. How do I
know if I am at risk for a stroke?
Anyone can
have a stroke, though individuals over age 50 are more at risk
than their younger counterparts. In general, males are also
more likely to be at risk for stroke than females as are
individuals with underlying health conditions, including high
blood pressure, diabetes or a history of stroke or heart
disease. You can do many things to reduce your risk of stroke
even if you fall into these risk categories, including eating
well and exercising regularly. You should also avoid smoking
and make sure you become aware of the primary signs and
symptoms of stroke, as early intervention is critical to a
good recovery.
Q. What
should I look for if I suspect a stroke?
Usually a
patient has some warning signs of stroke before they have one.
Warning signs may include visual changes or blurry vision,
numbness and tingling in one or more of the appendages and
hands, weakness of muscles, slight facial droop or a very
severe headache. Post these signs somewhere clearly where
anyone can see them so they too know the early warning signs
of a stroke.
A transient
attack may include any of these symptoms that last for several
minutes to half an hour. Immediate medical attention is
necessary. Many people will suffer a full-blown stroke after
experiencing these symptoms. If you have other symptoms,
including pain in your chest or pain that radiates down one
arm, you may be experiencing other cardiovascular signs
signaling another problem (like a pending heart attack).
Whenever you
experience acute symptoms that seem out of ordinary, you
should consult with a qualified medical provider as soon as
possible.
Q. What will
the doctor do if he or she suspects a stroke?
Typically a
doctor will monitor a patient and perform neurological tests
to assess whether any damage has occurred. If there is
evidence a person experienced an attack then the doctor will
look to find the cause and location of the problem (like a
blood clot) so they can then treat it as soon as possible.
Some examples of tests a physician might order include a CT
scan that takes X-ray pictures of various parts of the body
and can record the exact location of an attack. MRI’s are also
helpful for providing images of any clots or bleeding that may
occur in the brain.
Q. Does
suffering a stroke mean living with a permanent disability?
Many patients
endure disabilities following a stroke. Recent trends however
and statistics prove that many patients improve following
rehabilitation. Others may respond well and heal relatively
well with very little intervention. Much of healing and the
extent to which one suffers disability depends on one’s
personal health and wellness before a stroke. In the worst
circumstances, a stroke may result in permanent disability
including paralysis, balance problems, communication problems
and weakness or muscle pain.
Q. What new
treatments are available for stroke survivors?
There are
many new treatments in development for stroke survivors. The
goal of most treatments is to improve the quality of life of
the survivor and increase their chances of independent living.
Currently new drug therapies are being tested to help reduce
the risk of stroke by removing or dissolving clots in safer
ways. Other treatments including use of Botox, commonly
thought of as a “cosmetic” treatment, may help reduce muscular
spasticity experienced by stroke survivors.
Researchers
are constantly seeking out new ways to prevent strokes from
resulting in permanent damage by extending the amount of time
they have between symptoms and an attack to treat patients
correctly.
Q. Can
children suffer from a stroke?
Anyone can
suffer a stroke. While strokes are more common in adults, they
are not uncommon in young adults or children. The causes of
stroke in children are often different from the causes in
adults. Children for example are more likely to suffer from
stroke resulting from a congenital abnormality, or from
infection with various childhood diseases including varicella.
Some studies suggest many factors contribute to a child’s risk
including mutations of certain genes. Blood clotting disorders
are another example of a risk factor that may result in a
stroke in a child.
For more
information about children and stroke visit the Children’s
Stroke Association, located at
http://www.chasa.org
There is also
an online support group available for families whose children
suffered from stroke and similar disorders available here:
http://www.pediatricstroke.org
No matter who
you are or how old you are, the best defense against stroke is
information. You have begun your journey right here, right
now, today by learning more about stroke. Continue your
journey by reading “Life After Stroke” and learning as much as
you can about stroke and stroke prevention from the National
Institutes of Health, The American Heart Association and the
National Stroke Association.
As with any
disease, knowledge is power. The more you learn about stroke,
the better prepared you will be to combat and face it should
it strike your family.
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