Nearly 700,000 people suffer from a stroke in the US every year. Originally called a CerebroVascular Accident (CVA), this occurs when a specific chain of events happen – a blood vessel in the brain is blocked by a clot or a blood vessel in the brain bursts depriving oxygen to brain tissue in the area. A deadly cascade of chemical reactions occurs and blood vessels rupture, flooding the brain with blood cutting off connecting pathways. Electrical and chemical flows to the muscles are disrupted, causing injury to brain tissue and brain damage.
Those areas deprived of oxygen will begin to die within four minutes. Brain damage is irreversible, so stating that early recognition is important is like saying you need to breathe to live. Restoration of oxygen and blood to all affected areas of the brain as quickly as possible is imperative. Half of all stroke victims will have long-term problems. Early recognition and prompt treatment can vastly improve the chances of continuing brain damage and a full recovery.
The Silent Killer of Natasha Richardson
Sometimes the cause of CVA seems so trivial. A simple fall. Nothing to worry about. You get up and dust yourself off and go on about your life. But what happens when that simple fall has dire consequences, that if not recognized could cost you your life? Such is the case of actress Natasha Richardson.
In 2009, she fell and hit her head while taking a private ski lesson. At the time she felt fine. The ski patrol followed their protocols and suggested she see a doctor – sensing that she was fine, she refused. An hour later, she began to develop a headache and as her condition deteriorated, she was rushed to a hospital. Within 48 hours she died.
Let’s be clear here. What happened to Ms. Richardson is very rare. There are an estimated 1.5 million head injuries documented in the U.S. each year. Of those, 52,000 result in death from traumatic brain injury. However, some of these deaths could be avoided if the four indicators of a stroke are used to examine some of these individuals at the time of their trauma.
The Four Indicators of a Stroke
Neurologists state that if they can get to a stroke victim within three hours, they can reverse all effects of a stroke. The issue is those three hours. In most cases, the victim and their loved ones have no idea this is what they are dealing with. There are four simple questions that can be asked to determine whether to call for an ambulance:
- S – Ask the individual to SMILE.
- T – Ask the person to TALK and speak a simple sentence.
- R – Ask the person to RAISE both arms.
- S – Ask the person to STICK out their tongue.
If the person has trouble doing any of these four things, or if the tongue is crooked when they stick it out, you should call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
The First Step In Early Recognition
What if there is no fall or event that makes you use the technique above? There are still things you can look out for. The first step is recognizing that you are at risk. Certain diseases and medical conditions can add to the risk of a stroke:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Coronary artery disease
- Peripheral arterial disease
- Other heart conditions such as:
- Atrial fibrillation
- Endocarditis
- Previous incidence of heart attack
- Heart valve conditions
- Patent foramen ovale
The negative affects these have on your heart, arteries, and circulation increase the risk of a stroke. Once diagnosed, these risk factors are largely out of your control. In some cases, blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol can be largely controlled by your diet.
Other risk factors that are uncontrollable are:
- Age
- Race (African Americans, Native Americans, and Alaskan Natives are at higher risk)
- Family history
- Previous stroke
There are some risk factors that are controllable:
- Smoking
- Exposure to secondhand smoke
- Being overweight
- Inactivity
- A low-fiber diet
- A high-salt diet
- Birth control pills
- Heavy drinking
- Illegal drug use.
The Second Step In Early Recognition
The second step is learning the common symptoms that indicate a stroke. If you experience a sudden occurrence of any of the following symptoms, you may be having a stroke:
- Sudden numbness, weakness, or paralysis in the face, arm, or leg – especially on one side of the body
- Sudden blurred or dimmed vision, especially limited to one eye
- An episode of double vision
- Confused, garbled or slurred speech
- Confusion grasping what someone else is saying
- Dizziness
- Loss of equilibrium, balance, or coordination
Some less common symptoms are:
- Sudden, unexplained and intense headache
- Sudden nausea and fever
- Brief loss of consciousness
These symptoms should not be taken lightly. When they occur, the patient should go to the nearest hospital emergency room as quickly as possible. Again, as stated above, evidence shows that if a stroke is treated in the first few hours, brain and body damage can be minimized, and possibly even completely reversed.
Early recognition is extremely vital and may be the difference between life and death. Every stroke is different and the variables make the possible effects limitless. These effects could be small nuisances or debilitating. It is extremely vital that these warning signs not be ignored. Getting prompt attention can make a world of difference.
