HERSHEY – Stroke is very common, with more than 700,000 patient events per year.
Stroke is still the third leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability. It can be either the result of a blood clot blocking a brain blood vessel (otherwise known as an ischemic stroke; most common type representing approximately 85 percent of cases) or a brain blood vessel bursting (otherwise known as a hemorrhagic stroke).
Anyone can suffer a stroke at any age. Approximately 25 percent of strokes occur in patients younger than age 65. Many people have typical stroke/vascular risk factors, to include high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), high blood sugars (diabetes mellitus), smoking, alcohol abuse, carotid artery disease and cardiac disease (to include atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart beat, with advanced age.
Younger stroke patients have other less-common risk factors, to include migraine headaches, estrogen use (oral contraceptive pills, estrogen replacement therapy) and unknown clotting disorders. Hemorrhagic stroke patients may have an underlying brain aneurysm or vascular malformation.
Many strokes are preventable, and with optimal treatment of the common risk factors, as many as 80 percent of strokes could be prevented. Optimal stroke risk factor management, to include optimal medication treatment, should be addressed with a physicians.
Acute strokes are called “brain attacks,” and earlier treatment generally leads to a better outcome (“time is brain”). Acute stroke treatments are available, particularly an intravenous clot buster called t-PA (tissue plasminogen activator), which must be given within three hours from stroke onset.
Recognition of the symptoms and signs of stroke is crucial to early treatment. These include sudden onset weakness, numbness, facial droop, language/speech problems, dizziness, coordination problems, balance problems and severe/atypical headaches.
Patients also shouldn’t ignore “mini-strokes,” otherwise known as TIAs or transient ischemic attacks, which have the same stroke symptoms and signs but resolve completely usually in less than 30 to 60 minutes. TIAs can lead to a stroke in approximately 10 percent of cases and are a great opportunity for stroke prevention.
If individuals experience TIA or stroke symptoms/signs, they promptly should go to the emergency department for urgent evaluation and management. Dialing 911 is the fastest route. It’s hoped that acute prompt stroke evaluation and treatment will lead to a better outcome. Lastly, newer rehabilitation therapies also are available to decrease residual stroke deficits and optimize functional recovery.