Strokes do not discriminate.... young or old you can be at risk...
Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association (ASA). There are two kinds of strokes: ischemic, which accounts for 87% and happens when a blood clot stops up a brain blood vessel or artery to the brain; and hemorrhagic, which is caused when a brain blood vessel breaks and results in bleeding inside or over the brain.
1 of 10 2 of 10 3 of 10 4 of 10 5 of 10 6 of 10 7 of 10 8 of 10 9 of 10 10 of 10
Major symptoms:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, or trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
Less frequent symptoms (but occur often in women):
- Sudden onset of nausea, and vomiting
- Brief loss of consciousness or fainting, confusion or convulsions
- Sudden hiccups
- Sudden face and limb pain
Sudden shortness of breath and chest pain
3 Easy Tests to Assess Symptoms:
- Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
- Ask the person to raise his arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- Ask the person to say a simple sentence. Watch for garbled words and slurred speech.
If you think you or someone with you is having a stroke, here’s what to do:
- Call 9-1-1 right away. Do not “wait and see” if the symptoms subside. The sooner the patient gets medical attention, the better the outcome.