What is a Stroke? Program Recap

Thank you to Maria Gillis, RN and Pamela Esher, RN from Capital Health for speaking on the topic of strokes in honor of Stroke Awareness Month. Stroke is the #5 leading cause of death in adults in the United States and is the leading cause of disability. It is estimated that nearly 800,000 people will suffer from a stroke this year, or one every 40 seconds. While many strokes occur in people aged 65 or older, strokes do not discriminate and can happen to anyone at anytime. Therefore, it is critical to know the warning signs and be able to act as quickly as possible; “time is brain” and the longer you wait to act, the more damage the stroke can do. Let’s take a deeper look at a stroke.

What is a Stroke?

A stroke is caused by the sudden interruption of blood supply to the brain. It occurs when a blood clot blocks the blood flow in a vessel or artery or when a blood vessel breaks, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain. When either of these things happen, brain cells begin to die and brain damage occurs. Ischemic stroke (blood vessel blockage) account for 87% of strokes while hemorrhagic stroke (blood vessel breaks) account for 13% of strokes. A specific type of ischemic stroke, Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) occurs when a large, major vessel or artery to the brain becomes blocked. These strokes cause the most damage and result in the highest rates of mortality. Someone can also suffer a warning or mini-stroke called a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) in which a vessel or artery becomes blocked for a short period of time, resulting in no lasting damage.

Risk Factors

Like many medical conditions, there are a variety of risk factors that can increase the chances of having a stroke. While some risk factors are uncontrollable, there are some that we can control and can significantly reduce your risk if managed properly. Uncontrollable risk factors include:

Age – risk increases with age, with 2/3 of all stroke victims aged 65 or older
Gender – males are slightly more at risk than females
Race – African Americans and Hispanic individuals have a higher risk than other races
Family History – a family history of stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack

Controllable risk factors include:

High Blood Pressure – A blood pressure greater than 140/90 is considered high risk, while anywhere between 120-139/80-89 is considered moderate risk
Heart Disease – increased risk of blood clots
High Cholesterol – A cholesterol of greater than 240 is considered high risk, while anywhere between 200-239 is considered moderate risk
Diabetes
Cigarette Smoking

By working to reduce and manage our controllable risk factors through diet, exercise, and medication where appropriate, we can make great strides to reduce our risk.

Stroke Symptoms

Stroke symptoms can manifest in many different ways, often without warning. Oftentimes, a person suffering from a stroke experiences multiple symptoms. Symptoms include:

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance
Sudden severe headache with no known cause

Another way to remember these symptoms is through the acronym BE FAST:

B – Balance. Does the person have sudden loss of balance?
E – Eyes. Has the person lost vision in one or both eyes?
F – Face. Does the person’s face look uneven?
A – Arms. Is one arm hanging down?
S – Speech. Is the person’s speech slurred? Does the person have trouble speaking or seem confused?
T – Time. Call 911 now!

Prevention

There are a few steps that we can take to help stave off a stroke:

Healthy Diet – Focus on a diet that includes fruits and vegetables, is low in saturated fats and cholesterol and high in fiber, and limit your salt/sodium intake.
Healthy Weight – try to maintain a weight that is within the range for your height and age; you can use Body Mass Index (BMI) to help.
Stay Active – Physical activity can help maintain a healthy weight and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. The Surgeon General recommends that adults should engage in moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
Cholesterol – Have your cholesterol levels checked every 5 years. A physician may put you on medication to control your cholesterol if diet and exercise are not enough.
Blood Pressure – Monitor your blood pressure regularly, especially if you have high blood pressure. Diet and exercise can help lower blood pressure, but a physician may also prescribe medication to help lower it.

More Information

If you want more information about strokes and stroke prevention, please visit the American Stroke Association’s website, https://www.stroke.org/, for the most up-to-date information. You can view a recording of the program at https://youtu.be/2pT6sYHlB8w. Please download a copy of the “React to Stroke” pamphlet at https://www.njstatelib.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/React-To-Stroke.pdf. If you have any questions, please contact Maria Gillis at MGilli@capitalhealth.org or Pamela Esher at PEsher@capitalhealth.org.