Durham Regional Hospital Health Spot- How Much do You Know About Strokes?

Durham, NC- According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, each year over 600,000 strokes are reported in the United States. Stroke is also the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association.

The two main types of stroke are ischemic stroke, caused when a blood vessel within the brain becomes closed and hemorrhagic stroke, caused when a brain blood vessel breaks, leading to bleeding within or around the brain.

There are certain risk factors that can lead to a stroke which you can control such as smoking, obesity, high blood cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes. However, there are certain risk factors that are unavoidable, stemming from genes and other inherited traits including age, gender, race and family history of stroke, according to the American Stroke Association. African American men are at the highest risk for stroke related death.

According to Larry B. Goldstein, MD, FAAN, FAHA, Medical Director for Stroke Unit Services at Durham Regional Hospital, there are many common misconceptions about strokes. "The thought that strokes only affect old men is untrue. Strokes affect many people under age 65; including babies and children. About 60 percent of stroke deaths occur in women, whose risk is increased during and after pregnancy."

Another misconception is that there is nothing you can do to prevent or treat a stroke once it has occurred. Strokes can be both prevented and treated. There are several important things people can do to reduce stroke risk, according to Goldstein. "Have a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and exercise regularly after consulting a doctor.  Don't smoke and avoid second-hand tobacco smoke.  Drink alcohol in moderation; no more than two drinks for a man or one drink for a non-pregnant woman. Also, check your pulse to see if it's regular. An irregular pulse may indicate atrial fibrillation, a condition that can lead to clot formation. See a healthcare provider to check your blood pressure and discuss ways of reducing risk."

Treatments are available that can greatly reduce the damage caused by a stroke. The only approved by the FDA, however, is tPA. This is a clot busting drug used on patients with an ischemic stroke. It must be given within three hours of the onset of symptoms, thus getting to a hospital as soon as possible after a stroke is crucial. Patients who were treated with tPA had a 32 percent greater chance of having no or minimal disability three months after the onset of symptoms as compared with no treatment. However, recognizing the signs of stroke early may be the best way to reduce future damage. Getting treatment within 60 minutes can prevent disability. "Time lost is brain lost," according to Goldstein.

A stroke can be recognized by the following signs: suddenly feeling weak in one arm, hand or leg, loss of feeling on one side of your face or body, sudden loss of vision in one eye, trouble walking, cannot understand what someone is saying, feeling dizzy, losing your balance or an intense headache unlike any before.

You can help someone detect if they are having a stroke by three simple tests. Ask the person to smile, raise both arms or repeat a simple sentence.

Strokes can cause many life changing effects including motor impairment, loss of sensation on one side of the body, difficulty with speech, limited vision, loss of emotional control, problems with memory, judgment and problem solving, or a combination of all these.

Goldstein will be presenting a seminar on stroke prevention at Ladies Night Out, an information series about medical topics of interest for women and their families, September 18 at 7 pm in the First Level Classroom at Durham Regional Hospital. The seminar is free of charge and light refreshments will be provided. To register, call 919-403-4DRH or visit http://www.durhamregional.org/.