Know How to Spot a Stroke? Most Don't
Seconds count when it comes to surviving a stroke. WebMD tells you how to recognize the warning signs.
Lack of awareness plagues even groups that one would least expect, experts say. Neurologists say it's not uncommon to see people who have already had one stroke but still don't know the list of warning signs -- even though they're at risk for subsequent strokes. "They know what symptoms they had, but they can't name the rest," says Becker. Doctors are partly to blame, Merino adds. "The medical system is not doing the education."
What's more, stroke symptoms are often "negative symptoms," says Claude Hemphill, MD, MSc, an associate professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, and director of San Francisco General Hospital's Neurovascular Stroke Program. "If you have crushing chest pain, you know to go to the hospital. We still see people who can't move one side of their body and wait to see if they'll feel better and they go to bed. Or they'll ask a family member to massage them and take them to the doctor if it doesn't improve."
But waiting can be costly. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in this country, behind heart disease and cancer, according to the National Institutes of Health. Every year, about 700,000 people in the U.S. suffer a stroke, and nearly 163,000 will die as a result. Stroke also leads to more serious and lasting disabilities than any other disease. These problems include paralysis, trouble with speech or thinking, personality changes, and trouble with performing daily tasks, such as walking, eating, dressing, and toileting.
Stroke can happen at any stage of life, even in fetuses and children, but it becomes more likely with age. Stroke occurs most often in people over age 65.
Most strokes -- about 80% -- are ischemic ones that occur when a clot blocks blood flow to the brain. About 20% are hemorrhagic strokes that occur when a blood vessel breaks and bleeds into the brain (Sharon's doctors reported that he suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke).
During a stroke, some brain cells die immediately because they are deprived of oxygen and nutrients from the blood or because sudden bleeding damages them. However, other cells don't die right away but can linger for several hours in a weakened state. Prompt treatment may be able to save these cells and reduce damage and disability.
Know How to Spot a Stroke? Most Don't
Seconds count when it comes to surviving a stroke. WebMD tells you how to recognize the warning signs.
More Stroke Education Needed
Lack of awareness plagues even groups that one would least expect, experts say. Neurologists say it's not uncommon to see people who have already had one stroke but still don't know the list of warning signs -- even though they're at risk for subsequent strokes. "They know what symptoms they had, but they can't name the rest," says Becker. Doctors are partly to blame, Merino adds. "The medical system is not doing the education."
What's more, stroke symptoms are often "negative symptoms," says Claude Hemphill, MD, MSc, an associate professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, and director of San Francisco General Hospital's Neurovascular Stroke Program. "If you have crushing chest pain, you know to go to the hospital. We still see people who can't move one side of their body and wait to see if they'll feel better and they go to bed. Or they'll ask a family member to massage them and take them to the doctor if it doesn't improve."
Seek Treatment - Fast
But waiting can be costly. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in this country, behind heart disease and cancer, according to the National Institutes of Health. Every year, about 700,000 people in the U.S. suffer a stroke, and nearly 163,000 will die as a result. Stroke also leads to more serious and lasting disabilities than any other disease. These problems include paralysis, trouble with speech or thinking, personality changes, and trouble with performing daily tasks, such as walking, eating, dressing, and toileting.
Stroke can happen at any stage of life, even in fetuses and children, but it becomes more likely with age. Stroke occurs most often in people over age 65.
Most strokes -- about 80% -- are ischemic ones that occur when a clot blocks blood flow to the brain. About 20% are hemorrhagic strokes that occur when a blood vessel breaks and bleeds into the brain (Sharon's doctors reported that he suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke).
What Happens
During a stroke, some brain cells die immediately because they are deprived of oxygen and nutrients from the blood or because sudden bleeding damages them. However, other cells don't die right away but can linger for several hours in a weakened state. Prompt treatment may be able to save these cells and reduce damage and disability.