VISN 2: Veterans' Wellness, Summer 2006

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VA Healthcare Network Upstate New York - VISN 2

Summer 2006

Stroke Alert

For more information about stroke, log on to My Health eVet at www.myhealth.va.gov.

Heed these warning signs to avoid stormy weather

A stroke is similar to a lightning strike — it can occur suddenly and without warning. However, if you think about lightning, oftentimes there are signs that lightning is imminent, such as storm clouds, rain, thunder, distant light flashes, tingling skin or your hair standing on end.

Warning signs can signal a stroke, too. If you spot them and act quickly, you may prevent severe disability or death. Seek emergency medical treatment immediately if you or someone around you show any of these symptoms:

sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
sudden confusion, 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

These signs point to a stroke in progress. Blood and oxygen are not getting to a part of the brain as a result of a burst blood vessel or a blood clot, and that portion of the brain begins to die. Speedy medical care may minimize brain damage.

Sometimes the symptoms may last only a few minutes. This may be a mini-stroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA), which produces similar symptoms. Don’t take these signs any less lightly: A mini-stroke can be a predictor of severe stroke and needs to be treated immediately.

Risk factors
Because a stroke results from cardiovascular disease, which develops over time, you are likely to have other symptoms or risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure that is not treated or poorly controlled. Lifestyle factors and other health conditions that weaken blood vessels or contribute to blood clots increase your risk for stroke.

Factors you can’t change include increasing age, gender (more men suffer strokes), family history, race (African-Americans face greater risk) and having had a prior stroke or heart attack.

The need for speed
Each year, about 750,000 Americans have strokes—that’s equal to one every 53 seconds. More than 160,000 of them die. That makes stroke the third leading cause of death in the United States.

An ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, occurs when a blockage stops blood flow to the brain. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a blood vessel that bursts or leaks in the brain.

When oxygen and nutrients can’t get through, brain cells begin dying within minutes. That’s why speedy action is needed. The damage can be stopped or minimized if treatments are administered quickly.

Preventive action
You can dramatically reduce your risk of stroke by taking the following steps:

Have regular checkups. The three strongest risk factors for stroke — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes — often don’t cause symptoms in their early stages. Regular screenings can detect these conditions while they’re still highly treatable.

Lose weight. Being overweight or obese contributes to conditions that cause atherosclerosis, coronary disease and diabetes.

Change your diet. Adopt a heart-healthy diet that includes less fat, sugar and sodium. (See “A diet to protect your brain”)

Lower salt intake. Too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure. Keep your daily intake to one teaspoon or less— about 2,400 milligrams of sodium.

Exercise regularly. Heartpumping workouts, such as brisk walking, swimming and cycling, strengthen your heart muscle. They also help control weight and reduce blood pressure and stress.

Limit alcohol. Keep daily consumption to two drinks a day if you’re a man, and one a day if you’re a woman. Drinking more can raise blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides, and increase your weight.

Quit smoking. Stopping now is the single best change you can make for your health. Just five years after quitting, an exsmoker reaches the same level of risk for stroke as someone who never smoked.

Talk to your VA health care provider about ways you can reduce your risk for stroke and be prepared to act quickly when you see the warning signs.

Reviewed/Updated Date: January 16, 2007