March 28, 2006
Stroke: What You Need to Know
In recent weeks we have all been tragically reminded that strokes can strike a prime minister and a 45-year-old Hall of Fame baseball player as well as many other people from all walks of life. The message is clear: strokes can affect young and old with devastating consequences.
According to the American Stroke Association, about 700,000 Americans each year suffer a stroke, accounting for 157,000 deaths. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and a major cause of disability in the United States. In Montana, strokes account for nearly 500 deaths each year.
What is stroke? Stroke is defined as a disruption of blood flow to the brain. There are two basic types of stroke – hemorrhagic and ischemic. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a blood vessel that breaks and leaks blood into the brain. An ischemic stroke occurs when an artery that supplies blood to the brain becomes blocked, or occluded. Ischemic strokes are the most common type of stroke, accounting for about 85 percent of all strokes.
What are the signs of stroke? The symptoms of stroke usually occur very quickly and can include weakness, usually on one side of the body; difficulty speaking, walking, swallowing or seeing; severe headache; or loss of consciousness. If you or someone you know experiences one or more of these symptoms, it is vitally important that someone calls 911 immediately. Stroke is an emergency. Medical treatment is available to treat the most common type of stroke, and it has been shown to dramatically reduce disability associated with stroke. The important thing to remember is that treatment should occur within three hours of the onset of symptoms.
What puts people at risk for a stroke? The risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, the presence of atrial fibrillation, and a previous incident of transient ischemic attack or TIA. A TIA is often called a “mini stroke” and causes similar symptoms as a stroke. The only difference is that the symptoms of a TIA completely resolve within 24 hours.
Stroke is preventable. By controlling the risk factors that contribute to stroke, the risk of stroke is decreased.
The Cardiovascular Health Program (CVH) at the state Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) is working hard to decrease the impact of stroke in Montana. The CVH program has sponsored the Montana Stroke Initiative – a collaboration with hospitals, neurologists, nurses, public health officials, emergency room personnel, emergency medical services, and the American Stroke Association (a division of the American Heart Association). The goal of the Montana Stroke Initiative is to increase public knowledge of stroke and to improve the quality of stroke care in Montana.
For more information about the Montana Stroke Initiative, contact Mike McNamara at DPHHS, 406-444-9170 or mmcnamara@mt.gov.
For more information about stroke, visit the Web site of the American Stroke Association at www.strokeassociation.org.
Page last updated: 06/13/2006
