Every 40 seconds an American suffers a stroke. One in every 18 deaths in the United States is caused by a stroke. In 2008, 60.1% of all stroke deaths involved women. American Heart Association, Women and Cardiovascular Disease, http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_319576.pdf
What’s a stroke? It’s damage that occurs in the brain when oxygen delivery to an area of the brain is interrupted. A stroke can be caused by two different occurrences: from ischemia (lack of blood supply) and a hemorrhage (bleeding within the brain). Approximately 85% of strokes are ischemic strokes. In this type of stroke, plaque buildup inside the arteries and/or a blood clot interferes with the blood flow to the brain. During a hemorrhagic stroke, a blood vessel to the brain ruptures and blood accumulates into and around the brain tissue. http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/123/4/e18.full
Time is critical in the treatment of stroke. According to the National Stroke Association, the first three hours after onset of stroke symptoms are the recommended timeframe for ‘clot-busting drugs.’ http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=treatment
How can you know if your loved one is dealing with stroke symptoms? Take the FAST test. More tomorrow.
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