How do you know if you are having a stroke? A sudden and severe headache which occurs for no reason is one of the most common signs. That headache may be telling you that a clot has cut off blood flow or an aneurism has burst. If in doubt and especially if you are at a particular risk for stroke, a sudden, bad headache is a good reason to seek medical attention. Other symptoms that point to a stroke are loss of vision in one or both eyes, sudden and inexplicable weakness in the face, arms, and/or legs, inexplicable numbness, confusion, difficulty processing the conversation of those around you, and difficulty speaking and making yourself understood to those around you. Unfortunately, a stroke can cause such disorientation that the stroke victim is his or herself not capable of taking immediate and appropriate action. Friends and family members need to know if you are at risk. They also need to know the signs of a stroke. Time is of the essence in minimizing the worst possible effects of stroke. That’s why medical professionals have developed a set of criteria for the layman who suspects his friend or loved one is having a stroke.

Non-modifiable Risk Factors of Stroke A number of people are at higher risk of stroke, some risk factors can be controlled and some cannot. If you were underweight at birth, for instance, your chances of getting a stroke are higher, this is a risk factor that is out of the person’s control. Other factors beyond our control include: Gender:  It is well documented that up until age eighty, men are generally at higher risk of stroke than women.  Once a woman is eighty, her stroke risk factor becomes higher than that of an eighty-year-old man. Studies also show that women who do have strokes are more likely to die from them and men with strokes have complete recoveries. Age:  People over sixty are at higher risk for stroke than the general population. This risk continues to rise, doubling every decade after fifty-five, though it is important to know that strokes can occur at any age. Ethnicity: African Americans and those of Hispanic origin have a higher incidence of strokes than white people, according to several studies. This disparity exists even after setting aside differences in income and assets. Heredity: People whose immediate family members have had one or more strokes have a higher than average risk.

Medical treatment of stroke Clots: If a blood clot caused the stroke, doctors will work to break up the clot. Emergency room technicians are likely to start the patient on aspirin, a known anti-clotting agent, which is then followed up with intravenous injection of a potent clot buster known as tissue plasminogen activator (TPA). TPA can be delivered through a vein in the arm or in dire situations directly into the brain via a tube inserted into the patient’s groin. In some cases, a physician may decide to physically break up or budge the clot with a device directly inserted into the brain. Interventions that invade the patient’s brain are controversial and more research needs to be done to determine under what circumstances these therapies are appropriate. Hemorrhage: If the stroke was caused by a ruptured artery, treatment will concentrate on lowering the pressure inside the brain and stopping the bleeding. To that end, the patient may be given medication to lower blood pressure, lower pressure on the cranium, or to prevent thinning of the blood. This treatment may well be followed by surgical repair of the ruptured brain artery. Follow up treatment will focus on rehabilitation and preventing second and subsequent strokes.

Once a doctor has taken charge, the first step in officially diagnosing a stroke is a physical examination. The doctor will look for the same things a layman would look for: slurred speech, facial droop, loss of limb control. He will also take blood pressure and conduct blood tests that look at blood sugar levels, how quickly blood clots, and abnormalities in blood chemistry. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is usually the standard of care for a patient suspected of having a stroke. An MRI can pinpoint what part of the brain has been damaged as well as how the blood is flowing to the brain and where that flow has been disrupted. If the medical team needs a more detailed look at veins in the brain and neck, they may conduct a cerebral angiogram which may provide more information than the MRI. If a medical team has determined that the stroke was caused by a blood clot, they will probably order an echocardiogram to see if the clot was thrown off by the heart. Treatment of heart clots may be needed to prevent future strokes.

A heart attack is a serious medical condition that results from a blockage of blood supply to a part of the heart. Generally the blockage is caused from the buildup of fat, cholesterol, or other substances called plaques in the arteries. When oxygen rich blood is unable to reach a section of tissue in the heart, this is known as ischemia. When the deprivation of oxygen and nutrients results in damage or death to the heart muscle, this is called a heart attack or myocardial infarction. The saying “time is tissue” can be used in this scenario. The longer the heart tissue goes without oxygen, the worse off the patient will be. There are several risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing a heart attack. Lifestyle factors including diet, exercise, smoking, and alcohol consumption can greatly impact your risk of suffering a heart attack during your life. Heart attacks are often fatal, however, the earlier it is identified and treated the better the outcome will be. After a heart attack occurs the heart can take several weeks to heal and recovery time depends on the severity of the heart muscle damage. Generally, the heart is not permanently damaged from a heart attack and will, at least in-part, heal.