Enhance Your Stroke Awareness

According to the American Stroke Association, stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, following diseases of the heart and all forms of cancer. The statistics are frightening: approximately 700,000 Americans have strokes each year and someone dies of a stroke every 3.1 minutes.

What is Stroke?
Stroke occurs when there is an interruption in the flow of blood to cells in the brain. Deprived of oxygen from the blood, the cells die. A stroke occurs when 1) a blockage of an artery prevents blood from reaching cells in the brain or 2) an artery ruptures inside or outside the brain, causing hemorrhage.

There are two kinds of strokes:

Ischemic Strokes
Ischemic strokes are the most common. They occur when an artery is blocked and blood flow to the brain is stopped. Caused by build-ups of fatty deposits on the inside of an artery wall which then becomes completely clogged. Ischemic strokes account for eighty percent of all strokes suffered. Some ischemic strokes are preceded by stroke-like symptoms called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). These may occur months before the stroke. The loss of vision in a TIA may be described as a feeling that a shade is being pulled down over your eyes. The symptoms are usually temporary and improve within 10 to 20 minutes.

Hemorrhagic Strokes
These occur when an artery inside the brain ruptures or when an aneurysm at the base of the brain bursts. Twenty percent of all strokes suffered are hemorrhagic strokes. Symptoms more specific to this type of stroke include headache, nausea and vomiting, neck stiffness, seizures, sudden changes in mental state and lethargy. Hemorrhagic strokes usually occur in the daytime and during physical activity. The symptoms typically begin very suddenly and evolve over several hours.

Warning Signs of Stroke

Warning signs of possible stroke may include a combination of symptoms. Call 9-1-1 immediately if you experience, or witness someone else experiencing, the following:

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

More Information

The Stroke Center

Enhance Your Stroke Awareness

Detection and Diagnosis

Treatment Options

Prevention, Risk and Symptoms

The Stroke Center Patient Survey

American Stroke Association

Stroke Connection Magazine

The Internet Stroke Center

Prevention Magazine

Schedule an Appointment

For assistance in finding a general physician who can help determine if you are at high risk for stroke, please call Direct Doctors Plus at 388-4888.

Rapid Stroke Treatment

Each year, approximately 600,000 Americans will suffer a stroke and about 160,000 of them will die. In fact, someone suffers a stroke every fifty-three seconds, making stroke a leading cause of adult disability as well as the third-leading cause of death nationwide.

A stroke, also referred to as a cerebral vascular accident (CVA) or a brain attack, is an interruption in the flow of blood to cells in the brain. When the cells in the brain are deprived of oxygen, they die. A stroke occurs when a blockage in an artery prevents blood from reaching cells in the brain or an artery ruptures inside / outside the brain, causing a hemorrhage.

Forty percent of the public doesn’t know that a stroke occurs in the brain. More than 70 percent of seniors don’t know the warning signs of a stroke. Many don’t even know that stroke should be treated with the same urgency as a heart attack and that every second is critical to patient care, survival and subsequent quality of life.

Note: The information on this Web site is provided as general health guidelines and may not be applicable to your particular health condition. Your individual health status and any required medical treatments can only be properly addressed by a professional healthcare provider of your choice. Remember: There is no adequate substitution for a personal consultation with your physician. Neither Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center, or any of their affiliates, nor any contributors shall have any liability for the content or any errors or omissions in the information provided by this Web site.

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