Every minute, someone in the United States has a stroke. Of the 700,000
victims each year, one-third die, and another third suffer permanent
paralysis, loss of speech or memory lapses.
The best way to minimize the effects of a stroke is to know the warning
signs so the stroke victim can get immediate treatment. Warning signs
include sudden weakness or numbness, specifically on one side of the
body; dizziness or loss of coordination; sudden headache or nausea;
confusion or difficulty speaking; and vision loss.
Are you at risk for a stroke? Making healthy lifestyle changes, like
lowering blood pressure and not smoking, can help reduce your risk of
stroke. Other risk factors include:
* Age. Chances of having a stroke more than doubles each decade after age 55.
* Gender. More women die of strokes than men.
* Race and heredity. Chances of stroke are greater with a family
history of stroke. African-Americans and Hispanics are at higher risk
for stroke than Caucasians.
* Sickle cell anemia. Sickled red blood cells are less able to carry
oxygen to the body's tissues and organs. They also can stick to the
walls of the blood vessels, which can block arteries to the brain,
causing a stroke.
Upon experiencing stroke symptoms, individuals should immediately seek
medical attention. Patients attended to within hours of a stroke have a
much higher chance of effectively being diagnosed and treated.
Hospitals and trauma centers are equipped with sophisticated medical
imaging equipment, like Toshiba's Aquilion line of computed tomography
scanners and the new Vantage magnetic resonance imaging system, which
can help to quickly and accurately diagnose a stroke and assist in the
proper treatment plan.
With this new equipment, physicians are able to locate and view the
blockage in the arteries and then determine whether the treatment
should be invasive or noninvasive. Typically, the location of the
blockage dictates the course of treatment.