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Healthy Inspiration: Stroke

Healthy Inspiration: Know the statistics

Every 45 seconds someone has a stroke. Strokes kill nearly 160,000 people each year and are the third leading cause of death in this country. Each year 120,000 women are affected. Strokes kill more than twice as many American women as breast cancer. Women account for 43% of strokes each year but they make up 62% of stroke deaths. That means that more women die after having a stroke than men. Nearly 30% of those who suffer a stroke are under the age of 65. Among women over age 45, strokes are more common than heart attacks.

Women over age 30 who smoke and take high-estrogen oral contraceptives have a stroke risk 22 times higher than average.

Approximately 1/3 of all stroke survivors will have another stroke within five years. About 14% will have another within one year.
Twice as many black americans have strokes as whites.

Healthy Inspiration: Know What a Stroke Is

A stroke is usually due to a sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain. Brain damage occurs because of the lack of oxygen the surrounding area receives. It is also caused when a blood vessel in the brain leaks. In this case brain damage happens because blood spills into the surrounding tissue.

Healthy Inspiration: Know If You At Risk

1. Increasing age
2. Race
3. Family history of stroke
4. High blood pressure. Hypertension is a major contributing factor for up to 70% of strokes.
5. Diabetes. Women with diabetes are at greater risk than men.
6. Cigarette smoking
7. Use of Blood thinning medication such as Aspirin.
8. High blood cholesterol
9. Obesity
10.Heart Disease

Healthy Inspiration: Know the Symptoms　

Strokes happen all of a sudden, so symptoms will be immediate.

1. Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
2. Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
3. Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
4. Trouble walking
5. Dizziness
6. Loss of balance or coordination
7. Severe headache for no apparent reason.

Healthy Inspiration: Know What To Do if You Think Someone is Having a Stroke

Remember the 1st Three Letters...

S (smile)Ask her to smile
T(talk) Ask her to repeat a simple sentence: Is it sunny today?
R(raise) Ask her to raise both arms.

You may also ask her to 'stick' out her tongue . If it is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

If she has trouble with ANY of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe what you see.

What Happens After a Stroke?

1. Loss of feeling or movement on one side of the body.
2. Difficulty speaking
3. Unable to see as far and perception problems.
4. Change in mood and poor emotional control.
5. Slower with thinking process.
6. Problems with memory
7. Judgment is impaired
8. Difficulty problem solving
A stroke may result in any or all of these symptoms. Recovery depends on the amount of damage that happened to the brain. Many people regain much of their function by retraining other parts of their brain to perform the tasks that were lost.

Healthy Inspiration: Know How to Reduce Your Chance of Having a Stroke,

1. Get an annual physical
2. Eat a healthy diet
3. Know your family history
4. Maintain a healthy weight (work with your health professional to decide what yours is).
5. Quit smoking. (here it is again)
6.Get regular blood pressure and cholesterol checks
7. Exercise (this one is here again, too)
8. If you have diabetes follow the guidelines for your sugar level. If you are having trouble keeping them under control let your health care professional know.
9. Take your medications as directed.

You may go to Healthy Inspiration for more Health related topics.

Below are two good sources of information.

American Stroke
Stroke Network
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