In this part . . .
**IN a DROPCAP** Chapter 1
A Brain Attack
In This Chapter
Taking a sudden hit from stroke
Targeting the different types of stroke and their causes
Profiling the likeliest stroke victims
Responding to stroke for the best outcome
Coping and adjusting to life after stroke
L et me hit you with the bad news first: Stroke kills, stroke destroys, stroke debilitates. Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the United States, and the number-one cause of serious disability. One year after the most common kind of stroke, approximately 30 percent of those afflicted will have died, and another 30 percent will have a moderate to severe disability.
Now for some good news: Of those who experience the most common type of stroke, approximately 40 percent are left with only a mild or no disability one year later. And each year more people survive and recover from stroke as medical research continues to advance effective treatment. Today, recovery with improvement is the rule rather than the exception.
Stroke is sometimes called a brain attack. I wish this label would catch on, because I think that people might then understand that stroke is an emergency — like a heart attack — and call 911 right away! A heart attack threatens your heart; a stroke threatens your brain. In truth, most stroke is like a heart attack: It’s a problem with blood vessels, and time is really important. However, heart attack is a little easier to recognize. First of all, the pain tells you something is wrong — and it is usually near your heart. Most strokes are painless, and the symptoms, a paralyzed arm or leg for instance, are not obviously related to the brain.
Clearly, the more you know about stroke — its symptoms, causes, risks, treatment, and prevention — the better your chances of living a full and productive life with or, better yet, without stroke. And the first lesson is to learn what stroke is and how and why stroke occurs.
If you’ve already had a stroke, there are many opportunities to reduce the disability that stroke causes and prevent another stroke attack. A serious stroke will affect your entire family. You can fight back together.
Real-life examples
A 57-year-old man arrives early at work to prepare for an important presentation he has to make at 10 a.m. At about 9:15 he notices a headache. He thinks this is unusual, because he doesn’t have many headaches. He remembers that he did forget his blood pressure medication. He continues to work for a few minutes and then notices his right hand is not working and he can’t concentrate. He calls for his assistant who finds him looking very unusual. His mouth is twisted. He starts to talk but his speech is difficult to understand. She asks if he is okay. He says no. He starts to get up but his right arm gives way and he almost falls. His assistant calls 911.
A 68-year-old woman is preparing breakfast for herself and her husband. He has made the coffee and is reading the newspaper. He hears her drop a plate and looks up to see her standing and looking at her left hand. He asks her what’s wrong. She says she doesn’t know. Her face — particularly the way she is holding her mouth — looks unusual. She keeps looking at her hand. “My hand is numb,” she says. He asks her to sit down. She seems confused as he leads her to a chair. He asks if it hurts. She says no. “I think you’re having a stroke,” he says. He dials 911.
A 38-year-old lawyer is out jogging on a canal towpath. She starts to feel pain in her head that gets worse and worse. She stops, puts her hand to her head, and falls to the ground. A man walking ahead of her sees her fall. He runs to her but she is unconscious. He pulls out his cellphone and dials 911.
Attacking Out of the Blue
Stroke is nothing if not fast. Each year, as many as 750,000 people in the United States suffer a sudden and unexpected attack of the brain. When part of the brain is deprived of oxygen — which is what is happening when stroke hits — it doesn’t take long for the catastrophe to make itself evident. A minute or less.
Whether it’s a sudden inability to speak, the crash of a dish from a hand that can no longer grasp, or loss of consciousness, a brain attack strikes its victims quickly and powerfully and without warning.
Or does it? Although your stroke may occur in a lightning flash, it has most likely been years in the making, with conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes possibly serving as warning signs that the brain is in danger. Basically, as these conditions cause wear and tear on your blood vessels, your risks increase of suffering either a blockage or rupture of a brain artery. And — suddenly — you’re in stroke mode.
So how does it happen? It starts with the brain.
Going to the source: Stroke is...
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