Symptoms
- Trouble speaking and understanding
- Paralysis or numbness of the face, arm, or leg (most commonly only on one side of the body)
- Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden severe headache
- Vomiting, dizziness, and/or altered consciousness
- Trouble walking
Causes
- Blockage of the blood supply to part of the brain
- Types:
- Ischemic stroke: caused by a blocked artery
- Hemorrhagic stroke: caused by the leaking or bursting of a blood vessel
- Transient ischemic attack: caused by only a temporary disruption of blood flow to the brain
What can be done at home
- Test out the “FAST” symptoms
- F: Face. Does one side of the face droop when the person smiles?
- A: Arms. When both arms are raised, does one drift downward or unable to rise up?
- S: Speech. Is the person’s speech slurred or strange?
- T: Time. The faster you get a person assistance the better. Call 911 immediately.
Prevention
- Control high blood pressure
- Exercise
- Manage stress
- Maintain healthy weight
- Limit sodium and alcohol
- Medication
- Quitting tobacco use
- Controlling diabetes
- Eating a good diet
- Exercising regularly
- Treat obstructive sleep apnea
- Avoiding drugs/alcohol
- Anticoagulants (heparin and warfarin)
- Anti-platelet drugs (aspirin)
When to see a doctor
- Immediately!!!
Any other helpful info
- Risk factors:
- Being overweight/obese
- Physical inactivity
- Heavy drinking/drug use
- Hypertension
- Cigarette smoking
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Cardiovascular disease
- Family history of stroke
- Age (>55)
- Race (African Americans have greater risk of stroke)
- Sex (Men have greater risk of stroke)
- Hormones (use of birth control with estrogen)
- Post-stroke complications
- Paralysis
- Difficulty talking/swallowing
- Memory loss
- Difficulty controlling emotions
- Pain
- Changes in behavior and self-care ability