Stroke

Stroke
Stroke, it can happen to anyone, at any time and at any age. Stroke doesn’t discriminate – it affects people of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds. Fortunately, most strokes are preventable, and we can all take steps now to avoid having a stroke.

Prevention of a stroke should start as early as possible. Many risk factors are the same for men and women:

high blood pressure
high cholesterol
smoking
diabetes
atrial fibrillation
being overweight
a family history of stroke
not exercising

These are common stroke risk factors for men and women according to the National Stroke Association; go to www.stroke.org for additional information specific to women.

Risk factors unique to women:

taking birth control pills

being pregnant

using Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

having a thick waist and high triglyceride (blood fat) level

being a migraine headache sufferer

Fewer than one in five Americans can identify even one stroke symptom. Many stroke patients have no idea they are having a stroke. Since their brain cells are dying, their judgment may be affected. Learning to recognize a stroke is important and easy, just react F.A.S.T to get treatment to save the lives of the men and women in your life by following these guidelines:

Face – Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

Arms – Ask the person to hold both arms up evenly. Does one arm drift downward?

Speech – Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are their words slurred or mixed up?

Time – If the person shows any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately. Brain cells are dying.

Legal Information | Privacy Statement | Privacy of Health Information | Employees | Site Map
Stronger Together: sanfordmeritcare.com • sanfordhealth.org • meritcare.com
© 2010 Sanford. All rights reserved.