National Stroke Awareness Month

Stroke Awareness Month is observed every May to educate people about the importance of recognizing the symptoms of a stroke—also called a cerebrovascular accident (CVA)—and to highlight treatment and prevention options. The American Stroke Association reports approximately 800,000 people annually in the U.S. have a stroke. This is the second leading cause of death worldwide and causes the greatest number of disabilities. With lifestyle changes, up to 80% of strokes are preventable.

A stroke occurs when the oxygen rich blood flowing to the brain is stopped and results in the death of brain cells. The American Stroke Association categorizes the types of strokes as ischemic (a blockage halts the blood flow within a vessel), hemorrhagic (a vessel bursts and prevents blood from reaching parts of the brain), and a temporary blockage causing a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or "mini stroke". Healthline further categorizes ischemic strokes as embolic ( a clot forms elsewhere in the body, breaks off, and travels to a brain vessel) and thrombotic (a clot forms within a brain vessel).

Recognizing stroke symptoms and getting immediate treatment helps to minimize damage to the brain. John Hopkins Medicine reports "FAST" is a way to remember the symptoms and get treatment quickly.

• F-Face drooping. One side of the face droops, especially when smiling. Areas of the face may also be numb.

• A-Arm weakness. One arm shows weakness and may be numb. When both arms are held out in front, one arm drifts downward.

• S-Speech difficulty. Slurred speech, trouble talking, or difficulty repeating a simple sentence may be present.

• T-Time. Call 911 immediately and record the time the symptoms began.

The Mayo Clinic lists additional symptoms of a stroke including trouble walking, sudden vision changes (blurred, double, or blackened vision), severe headache, nausea or vomiting, and a change in consciousness. Any of the above symptoms need to be addressed immediately. Call 911 rather than try to drive the person to the hospital. Every minute counts to minimize the devastating effects of a stroke. The sooner treatment is initiated, the better the patient's outcome.

Many tests are utilized to determine the type of stroke, damage caused, and treatments needed. Healthline states these tests include bloodwork, angiogram, carotid ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, echocardiogram, and electrocardiogram (EKG). Ischemic strokes are treated with clot-dissolving and blood thinning medications and/or clot removal. Hemorrhagic strokes are treated with medications to lower the blood pressure to prevent further bleeding in the brain and surgical repair of the ruptured vessel. John Hopkins Medicine lists surgical interventions including carotid endarterectomy (removes plaque and clots from the carotid artery), carotid stenting (to keep the carotid artery open), surgical repair of aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (fixes weakened artery walls and circulation issues), and repair of abnormal openings within the heart.

The Mayo Clinic provides many lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk of having a stroke. These include reduce high blood pressure (hypertension), limit cholesterol and saturated fat in your diet, stop smoking, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, avoid excessive alcohol consumption, treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and don't use illicit drugs. These interventions will help reduce your stroke risk, but if a stroke happens to you or a loved one there are intensive therapy, rehabilitation, and support programs available to help both the stroke patient and their family members.

Life Line Screening offers multiple proactive screening tests to evaluate your risk for a stroke and cardiovascular disease. These tests include carotid ultrasound to screen for fatty buildup (plaque), ultrasound of the abdominal aorta to look for aneurysms, an Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) test to screen for peripheral arterial disease, and an electrocardiogram (EKG) to screen for Atrial Fibrillation (A Fib). All of these conditions can cause strokes and other cardiovascular emergencies. These painless screening exams could identify a potential problem before it becomes a life-threatening issue.

For information about how to stay healthy, check out www.nurtureyourwholeself.com.