What would you do if suddenly you couldn’t see, you were dizzy, and you had the worst headache you’ve ever experienced? Would you wait or call 911?
The truth is that many Americans will wait to see if it subsides instead of calling 911 to get help. Because of this, stroke is the nation's third leading killer, claiming the lives of more than 150,000 Americans each year, according to the American Stroke Association.
“Everyone should know the warning signs of a stroke,” says Bradley Grayum, M.D., chief of the Division of Neurology at Crozer-Chester Medical Center. “Any sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg (especially on one side of the body); sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination; or sudden severe headache with no known cause warrants an immediate call to 911.”
“There are two major kinds of strokes,” says Calvin Stafford, M.D., chief of the Section of Neurology at Taylor Hospital. “An ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, occurs when an artery of the brain becomes blocked. About 80 percent of all strokes are ischemic strokes. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused when a tiny artery or blood vessel in or around the brain bursts and causes blood to leak into the brain. About 20 percent of all strokes are hemorrhagic strokes, which can be a result of untreated high blood pressure.”
Strokes, which occur when the blood flow to the brain is disrupted, can be treated in a time frame that can last a few hours. It is vital to act quickly and to seek medical attention as soon as any of the warning signs are present.
“The goal of emergency stroke treatment is to minimize the amount of damaged brain,” says Joseph Lubeck, D.O., chief of the Section of Neurology at Delaware County Memorial Hospital. “When someone is having a stroke, every minute counts. As time passes, more brain tissue becomes irreversibly damaged and cannot be rescued. So, the earlier a patient arrives for treatment, the greater number of available treatment options and likelihood for improvement with therapy.”
According to the American Stroke Association, bystanders with or without medical training may be able to spot someone having a stroke by performing a quick, simple assessment. Using the anagram F.A.S.T., the evaluation includes the following tests:
Facial weakness. Ask the person to smile. Take a look to see if his or her mouth or eyelids have drooped.
Arm weakness. Ask the person to raise both arms.
Speech problems. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Can the person speak clearly? Can he or she understand what you are saying?
Test all three symptoms. If the person fails any of the tests, call 911 immediately.
As with most conditions, the best treatment for stroke is not having one at all. Talk with your physician about minimizing your risk factors for stroke, which may include high blood pressure, heart disease, smoking, diabetes and high cholesterol.
Delaware County Memorial Hospital, a member of the Crozer-Keystone Health System, is the first hospital in Delaware County to become a Certified Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission. Primary stroke centers are required to diagnose possible stroke patients quickly. At DCMH, CT scans and lab work are completed and evaluated within 45 minutes of patients’ arrival in the Emergency Department. From transport to diagnosis to treatment, this deadline demands peak performance from every group involved. Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital are working on achieving stroke certification and hope to be certified soon.
For more information about stroke services offered by Crozer-Keystone Health System, call 1-800-CK-HEALTH (1-800-254-3258).