Are You At Risk Of Having A Stroke?
signs of a strokeIf you experience any of the symptoms below or notice anyone else experiencing the same symptoms, call 911 immediately. With strokes, obtaining proper medical assistance is a race against time and potential incurable brain damage.
The signs and symptoms of stroke include:
who is at risk?Typically, strokes run in the family. In one study by Jerrard-Dunne and colleagues from London's St. George's Hospital Medical School, stroke patients who were 65 or younger were almost three times as likely as non-stroke patients to have a parent or sibling who had an early stroke or heart attack.
According to the American Heart Association, being male and over the age of 55, having diabetes, high blood pressure (over 140/90), carotid artery disease, heart disease, or atherosclerosis, and prior history of heart attack, stroke or TIA (transient ischemic attack) can all increase your risk of having a stroke.
The factors that you can modify and control are leading a sedentary lifestyle, obesity or excess weight around the gut (which puts a strain on the circulation system and increases blood pressure), excessive alcohol consumption (more than one drink a day), drug abuse, and tobacco use. Cigarette smoking is the number one preventable risk factor in strokes and it doubles stroke risk. If you quit smoking, within five years your stroke risk will be the same as someone who never smoked.
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)Although the onset of a stroke is typically sudden and without warning, before having a full stroke, patients may have one or more transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). A TIA is caused by a temporary blockage of an artery in or leading to the brain, and is often labeled a mini-stroke, namely because it creates insufficient blood supply to the brain and has similar symptoms as a stroke. However, unlike stroke symptoms, TIA symptoms usually disappear within 10 to 30 minutes, although they may last up to 24 hours.
If you have a TIA, you need immediate medical attention. A TIA is a warning signal that a stroke may soon occur because roughly 11% of people with a TIA have a full ischemic stroke within 90 days, and 14% within one year.
C-Reactive Protein (CRP)Like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, higher CRP levels in the blood may indicate that plaque in the arteries is unstable and could come loose and cause blockages in the heart or brain. According to researcher Jie J. Cao, from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, C-reactive protein may even help cause that instability. There is a simple blood test your doctor can perform to check this in your blood.
Learn how to perform the one-minute test that could save your life...