When a Stroke Strikes, Seconds Count

Most people don’t recognize the obvious signs of a stroke - and that’s deadly.  Each year 700,000 Americans suffer these devastating “brain attacks,” in which tissue is deprived of oxygen because of a blocked or burst blood vessel. 

Annually, 150,000 Americans die of stroke.  Swift treatment is crucial to surviving a stroke and limiting its disabling effects. Watch for warnings. According to studies from the Mayo Clinic red flags include sudden weakness on one side of the body, slurred speech, or the inability to speak, numbness or tingling in an arm or a leg, and facial drooping.  If the symptoms come and go - that can indicate a transient ischemic attack (TIA), called a ministroke. 

Act fast.  Generally, the best hope of surviving and limiting the effects of a stroke is getting clot-busting drugs within three hours, and doctors have to take a history and do tests before they can act.  So if you think you or a loved one is having a stroke, dial 911 immediately. 

You stand a better chance of speedy attention if you’re delivered to the ER by ambulance, rather than reporting to the waiting room window. To find a certified primary stroke center in your area, visit www.jointcommission.org/Certification Programs/Disease-SpecificCare/DSCOrgs/default.htm or call the American Stroke Association at (888) 478-7653. 

Take your medicine.  People who stop taking their cholesterol-lowering statin drugs for three days after having as ischemic stroke - the kind where a blood vessel was blocked - were nearly five times more likely to die or become dependent on others than those who stayed on the drugs.  To safeguard against statin interruptions, make sure the medical team knows you’re taking them.