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Unless you know someone who has had a stroke or helped a close friend or relative with their recovery, this disabling disease may be a mystery to you. Don't wait to be informed. The third leading cause of death in Georgia after heart disease and cancer, stroke takes the lives of 145,000 people each year in the United States. While older people account for the majority of stroke deaths, stroke also is the third leading killer of the middle-aged.
Stroke, or cerebrovascular disease, is a brain attack that affects the arteries or veins. When the flow of blood bringing oxygen and nutrients to the brain is cut off, arteries or veins in the brain may burst or become clogged. The result can be loss of motor control, paralysis, loss of speech or sensation, or even death.
The most common type of stroke, cerebral thrombosis, occurs when a blood clot forms in a vessel in the brain. Cerebral embolism occurs when a clot or other particle gets stuck in an artery leading to the brain or in the brain itself. A subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs because a blood vessel ruptures and bleeds between the brain and the skull. A cerebral hemorrhage occurs when a defective artery in the brain bursts, flooding the surrounding tissue with blood. This type of brain attack is frequently associated with high blood pressure.
Call 911 or seek immediate medical attention if you or someone around you experiences any of the following symptoms of stroke:
* Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body.
* Sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye.
* Loss of speech or trouble talking or understanding speech.
* Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness or sudden falls, especially along with any of the previous symptoms.
Some risk factors are inherited. Others are a function of aging. Still others result from lifestyle habits that can be modified. Seven risk factors that cannot be changed include: age, gender, race, diabetes mellitus, family history, and artherosclerosis in the carotid artery.
Certain factors indirectly increase the risk of stroke because they increase the risk of heart disease. Therefore, modifying the following lifestyle patterns can reduce the likelihood of stroke:
* A high-cholesterol diet. High blood cholesterol increases the amount of fats in artery walls, increasing the risk of heart disease.
* Physical inactivity and obesity. Being inactive, obese or both can increase blood pressure.
* High alcohol consumption. Drinking can raise blood pressure. Binge drinking can lead to a brain attack.
* Drug abuse. Intravenous drug abuse carries a high risk of stroke from cerebral embolisms. Cocaine use in particular has been linked to stroke.
The following major risk factors can be reduced by on-going medical treatment:
* High blood pressure. This is the most important modifiable risk factor for stroke.
* Heart disease. Clots that form in the heart can break away and cause a brain attack.
* Transient ischemic attacks (TIA's). TIA's occur when a blood clot temporarily clogs an artery and part of the brain does not get the blood supply it needs. About 10 percent of brain attacks are preceded by these "temporary strokes."
* High red blood cell count. Too many red blood cells thicken the blood and make clots more likely. This can be treated by removing blood or by administering blood thinners.
The American Heart Association's (AHA) "1995 State Stroke Report" reveals some astounding findings. There were 3,836 deaths from stroke in Georgia in 1993, more than those from accidents, suicides and homicides combined, and nearly ten times as many deaths as caused by AIDS. Georgia ranked fourth in the nation for stroke death rate.
"The report does not necessarily bring us bad news," says Patrick Griffith, a member of the AHA's Stroke Task Force and a neurologist at Morehouse School of Medicine. "It tell us that Georgians are at a much lower risk of death from stroke than they were 20 or 30 years ago. But it also means we can't continue to count on medical advances to shield us from our risky behavior. That means reducing dietary fat, exercising, stopping or not starting smoking, and most importantly, controlling high blood pressure."
For further information regarding stroke programs and resources, contact Liz Freeberg at 952-1316.
Liz Freeberg is program manager for the American Heart Association Georgia Affiliate.
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