| Time Lost is Brain Lost |
| Every 45 seconds someone suffers a stroke in the USA
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| What is a Stroke? |
A stroke or "brain attack" occurs when a blood vessel (a tube through which the
blood moves through the body) breaks or a blood clot blocks an artery (a blood
vessel that carries blood from the heart to the body), interrupting blood flow
to an area of the brain. When either of these things happen, brain cells begin
to die and brain damage occurs. When brain cells die during a stroke, abilities
controlled by that area of the brain are lost. These abilities include speech,
movement and memory. How a stroke patient is affected depends on where the
stroke occurs in the brain and how much the brain is damaged.
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| Symptoms of a Stroke |
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Seek immediate medical treatment if you experience any
one of these stroke symptom warnings:
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Numbness or weakness of your face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the
body
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Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
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Speech: Ask person to say "You can't teach an old dog new tricks"
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Blurred, double or decreased vision in one or both eyes
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Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination
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Sudden severe headache with no known cause
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Remember the phrase "Give Me 5": |
| Walk |
Is their balance off? |
| Talk |
Is their speech slurred or face droopy? |
| Reach |
Is one side weak or numb? |
| See |
Is their vision all or partly lost? |
| Feel |
Is their headache severe? |
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| Myth vs. Reality |
| Myth |
Reality |
| Stroke is unpreventable |
Stroke is largely preventable |
| Stroke cannot be treated |
Stroke requires emergency treatment |
| Stroke only strikes the elderly |
Stroke can happen to anyone |
| Stroke happens to the heart |
Stroke is a "Brain Attack" |
| Stroke recovery only happens for a few months following a stroke |
Stroke recovery continues throughout life |
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| Visual Symptoms |
Normal
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Abnormal
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| Facial Droop: Ask patient to show teeth and smile. |
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Normal
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Abnormal
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| Arm Drift: Ask patient to extent arms, palms down,
with eyes closed. |
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| Types of Strokes |
An Ischemic Stroke occurs when a clot blocks an artery
supplying blood to the brain.
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An Hemorrhagic Stroke occurs when an artery in the
brain leaks or breaks.
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| To Learn More About Strokes and Reducing Risk Factors |
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