Thanks
to new tests that help predict stroke, treatments that help control
high blood pressure, and good health habits that many Americans
are practicing, the death rate from stroke is down as much as
50 percent since 1970. Still, stroke is the third leading cause
of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability
among adults.
What
Is a Stroke?
A
stroke is a sudden partial loss of brain function usually caused
by a clot that stops the flow of blood to an area of the brain.
Without oxygen and important nutrients, the affected brain cells
are either damaged or die within a few minutes.
While
cell damage can be repaired and the lost function regained, the
death of brain cells is permanent. Most strokes are caused by
a blood clot or narrowing of a blood vessel (artery) leading to
the brain. Other strokes are caused by a hemorrhage (bleeding)
from an artery. There are three major types of strokes:
Thrombotic
strokes are caused by fatty deposits (plaques) that have built
up in the arteries carrying blood to the brain. This slows the
blood flow until a blood clot completely blocks the artery and
the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain.
An
embolic stroke is caused by a blood clot formed in another
part of the body that breaks loose, travels through the bloodstream,
and blocks an artery carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain.
When traveling through the body the blood clot is called an embolus.
A
hemorrhagic stroke is caused when an artery supplying blood
bleeds into the brain. The broken blood vessel prevents needed
oxygen and nutrients from reaching the brain cells. One type of
hemorrhagic stroke is caused when an artery that has weakened
over time bulges (called an aneurysm) and suddenly breaks.
Diagnosis
and Treatment
A
stroke requires immediate medical care. Research shows that treatment
during the first hours after symptoms appear can be important
for the best possible recovery. An emergency doctor or neurologist
(a doctor who diagnoses and treats disorders of the brain and
nervous system) will provide emergency treatment. Then a family
doctor, internist, or geriatrician can step in and provide longer
term care.
Doctors
make an early diagnosis by looking at symptoms, reviewing the
patient’s medical history, and performing tests such as a
computerized tomography scan--a 3-dimensional
x-ray
technique to take pictures of the brain.
What
You Can Do to Prevent a Stroke
A
stroke was once viewed as a single damaging attack, but we now
know it develops over many years. The risk factors or conditions
that may lead to stroke include high blood pressure, smoking,
heart disease, and diabetes. The risk of stroke increases with
age and is higher in African Americans and Hispanics than in whites.
You
can reduce your stroke risk by taking the following steps:
- Control
your blood pressure. Have your blood pressure checked often,
and, if it is high, follow your doctor’s advice on how
to lower it. Treating high blood pressure reduces the risk for
both stroke and heart disease.
- Stop
smoking. Cigarette smoking is linked to increased risk for stroke.
Research shows that the risk of stroke for people who have quit
smoking for 2-5 years is lower than for smokers.
Exercise
regularly. Researchers think that exercise may make the heart
stronger and improve circulation. It also helps control weight.
Being overweight increases the chance of high blood pressure,
atherosclerosis, heart disease, and adult-onset (type II) diabetes.
Physical
activities like brisk walking, cycling, swimming, and yard work
lower the risk of both stroke and heart disease. Talk with your
doctor before starting an exercise program.
- Eat
a healthy diet. Choose, prepare, and eat foods low in fats,
saturated fatty acids, and cholesterol. Eat a variety of fruits
and vegetables.
- Control
diabetes. If untreated, diabetes can damage the blood vessels
throughout the body and lead to atherosclerosis.
- Promptly
report warning signs or symptoms to your doctor. The warning
signs for stroke are a sudden, unexplained tingling and/or numbness
on one side of the body, a sudden severe headache, blurred vision,
difficulty talking, stumbling and/or sudden clumsiness. Sometimes
a mini-stroke, lasting only a few moments and called a transient
ischemic attack (TIA), comes before a stroke.
Rehabilitation
for Stroke
Rehabilitation
should begin as soon as possible after the patient is stable.
It often continues after the patient has gone home. Stroke rehabilitation
includes many kinds of therapies: physical therapy to strengthen
muscles and improve balance and coordination; speech and language
therapy; and occupational therapy to improve eye-hand coordination
and skills needed for tasks such as bathing and cooking. A team
of health care experts (physicians, physical and occupational
therapists, nurses, social workers, and speech and language specialists)
coordinates activities for the patient and family.
Rehabilitation
progress varies from person to person. For some, recovery is completed
within weeks following a stroke; for others, it may take many
months or years.
Where
to Get Help
National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Information Office
P.O. Box 5801
Bethesda, MD 20824
1-800-352-9424
National
High Blood Pressure Education Program
P.O. Box 30105 Bethesda, MD 20824
301-251-1222
The
National Stroke Association
96 Inverness Drive East
Suite I
Englewood, CO 80112-5112
303-649-9299
American
Heart Association
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75231
214-373-6300
Reference:
from the National Institute on Aging
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