Stroke: It Can Happen at Any Age
5/14/2021
Recognize the signs and get help FAST
By: Richard Bang, M.D., Family Medicine
A severe headache, difficulty seeing, confusion or fumbling to find words. These stroke symptoms are often mistakenly blamed on other illnesses or medications—especially when they occur in people younger than age 65.
With that in mind, it’s important to note that stroke can happen at any age. That’s especially concerning given the increasing incidence of stroke in younger adults, according to the American Heart Association. Research has revealed a 40 percent increase in the past several decades among adults who are between the ages of 18 and 45. The alarming trend is attributed to the rise in obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure among younger age groups.
Understanding the Signs
Learning the signs of a stroke can help save lives. The Stroke Awareness Foundation offers the following recommendations to act FAST:
- Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
- Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?
- Time: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Understanding Strokes
About 795,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year. About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes; 185,000 are recurrent strokes. It is the fifth leading cause of death in this country, with one person dying from a stroke every four minutes. Strokes are also the leading cause of serious, long-term disability. In addition, about 25 percent of people who recover from their first stroke will have another stroke within five years.
About 87% of strokes are ischemic—meaning an artery responsible for blood flow to the brain is either blocked or severely restricted by a blood clot—which deprives the brain of oxygen and nutrients. The remaining 13% are hemorrhagic—caused by a weakened blood vessel that breaks and bleeds into the surrounding brain tissue.
The area of the brain affected by a stroke determines what bodily functions are impacted. Stroke victims may lose permanent memory, speech, balance, fine motor skills, and control over some muscles or entire limbs on one side of the body. A person’s personality or behavior can also be affected or changed. The Stroke Awareness Foundation estimates there are 7 million stroke survivors living in the U.S. today and two-thirds of them are disabled.
Act Quickly
A major stroke can kill nearly two million brain cells a minute—that’s why acting quickly, when symptoms first appear, is so important. Patients who receive clot-busting drugs within three hours of initial symptoms reduce the likelihood of long-term disability. Call 9-1-1 and try to recall the time that symptoms first appeared. The quicker medical care is received, the greater a stroke victim’s chances are of surviving.
Receiving Quality Stroke Care
Knowing where to receive exceptional stroke care is critical. Laredo Medical Center holds Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers from The Joint Commission, including its Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark. The Gold Seal of Approval® and the Heart-Check mark represent symbols of quality from their respective organizations.
The designation validates that LMC is adhering to a very specific set of treatment guidelines to deliver high quality care to all patients affected by stroke.
For information on services provided at Laredo Medical Center, please call 796-3223.
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