Don't Ignore Stroke Symptoms |
By EMT | |
July 24, 2006 | |
Don't Ignore Stroke Symptoms Stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States in people over the age of 40. Nearly 700,000 people have strokes every year. A stroke is caused by an interruption in blood flow to the brain. The lack of blood supply can result in permanent brain cell damage. Many people are becoming aware that time is of the essence when treating a possible stroke (also known as a "brain attack"). There are treatments available for certain types of strokes, but treatment is most effective shortly after stroke symptoms occur. In fact, potential risks of the treatment may outweigh its possible benefits after just a short period of time. Doctors may not perform the treatment if too much time has passed since symptoms of the stroke began. Therefore it is critical that a patient gets medical attention IMMEDIATELY when stroke symptoms occur. Please call 911 right away if you experience any of the symptoms below.
Sudden Onset of a Headache (especially if it feels like "the worst headache ever") Sudden Loss of Vision in One or Both Eyes Sudden Onset of Abnormal Speech (slurring words, one side of mouth drooping) Sudden Dizziness Sudden Onset of Abnormal Gait (trouble walking) Sudden Onset of Muscle Weakness (one sided) |
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