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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : May 7, 2013 11:21 AM IST
Stroke or a cerebrovascular accident is no longer a disease of the elderly with almost 20% strokes occurring in people under 55. Over the past decade, the average age of stroke occurrence has dropped from 71 to 69. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and adult disability, but quickly recognizing the signs of it and seeking immediate medical care from specialists can minimize the effects of the disease or even save a life, say an expert at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Patrick D. Lyden, MD, chair of Neurology and director of the Stroke Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, has revealed Five Sudden, Severe Symptoms, that could signal the onset of a stroke.
Any of these symptoms can occur in a mild, fleeting way and not be worrisome, but if any one of them comes on suddenly and is quite severe, it could signal the onset of a stroke, which increasingly is described as a brain attack, because like a heart attack, a stroke requires immediate action to improve the odds against disability and death.
The National Stroke Association estimates that two-thirds of stroke survivors have some disability. Clot-busting drugs make it possible in some cases to stop a stroke in progress and even reverse damage. But the crucial element is time. If given within three hours of onset, the drugs improve outcomes by about 30%. Not every hospital or stroke centre has the facilities, staff or resources to provide complete care for every stroke patient, but many hospitals and health authorities are collaborating to establish regional stroke-treatment networks to be sure that even the most complex cases are rapidly transferred to a centre with the needed level of care.
Still, no amount of readiness can make a difference unless someone recognizes the symptoms and calls emergency medical service providers.
What is a stroke?
Also known as a cerebrovascular accident, stroke is a medical emergency in which a part of the brain doesn t receive blood supply. Brain cells of the affected region begin to die within a few minutes and often result in long-term dysfunction of the body part controlled by the affected brain area. There are two main types of strokes Ischemic and Haemorrhagic stroke. An ischemic stroke is caused by a block (blood clot) in the blood vessel and a haemorrhagic stroke is caused by bleeding through a tear in the blood vessel.
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