Stroke Awareness 2011!!

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Remember the '3' steps, STR. Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S  *Ask the individual to SMILE.

T  *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE  (Coherently)

(i.e. It is sunny out today.)

R  *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE:  Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.

Stroke Awareness - Know the Facts

Each year nearly 800,000 Americans experience a new or recurrent stroke, which is the nation’s third leading cause of death. Stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, with about 6.5 million stroke survivors alive today.

What is a stroke?

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked or bursts. There are two types of stroke - hemorrhagic and ischemic. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when brain arteries rupture and an ischemic stroke occurs when blood supply to part of the brain is cut off.

Are you or a loved one at risk?

Many warning signs indicate you may be suffering a stroke. Depending on the function of the part of the brain affected.

Many factors increase the risk for stroke. Some factors can be controlled, while others cannot.

• Strokes are four to six times more likely in people with high blood pressure.
• People with high cholesterol are at double the risk of having a stroke.
• Strokes are six times more likely to occur in people with heart disease.
• Excess weight can lead to heart disease and high cholesterol, which can lead to a stroke.
• Heavy drinking increases the risk for stroke.
• Smokers have double the risk for stroke as nonsmokers.

If you experience any of the major stroke warning signs listed below, call 911. It is important to get to a hospital immediately.

• Sudden loss of speech
• Slurred speech
• Blurry or double vision
• Sudden paralysis
• Sudden weakness
• Sudden dizziness

Healthy diet, exercise, controlling blood pressure and not smoking are cornerstones of stroke prevention.

• Control your blood pressure;
• Find out if you have heart disease, especially an irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation;
• Don’t smoke;
• Find out if you have a diseased carotid artery;
• Lower your cholesterol;
• Limit your alcohol intake;
• Control your weight; and
• If you have diabetes, manage the disease.

It's not just adults who have strokes, children and even infants – can suffer strokes. Stroke is one of the top 10 causes of death in children, and the majority of pediatric stroke survivors can have residual neurological or cognitive impairment. However, children generally tend to recover from stroke better than adults. The warning signs for pediatric stroke can include:

• Severe headache – often the first complaint;
• Eye movement problems;
• Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg;
• Difficulty speaking or understanding words or simple sentences;
• Sudden blurred vision or decreased vision in one or both eyes; and
• Dizziness, loss of balance or lack of coordination.

Click here, http://www.strokeawareness.com/media/Raising-Stroke-Awareness-Tips.pdf  download, print and keep it handy – yeah never know, the life you save may be your own!