5 Symptoms That Could Minimize Damage To Stroke

Being the 4th leading cause of death among Americans, stroke affects about 795,000 people each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While the elderly used to be the main victims of stroke, approximately 20 percent of stroke cases now occur in people younger than 55 years old. The average age for stroke has declined from 71 to 59 over the past decade.

People can have a stroke when there is an interruption of blood supply to their brain, usually because blood vessel bursts or as a result of blockage by a clot. This would stop supply of oxygen and nutrients, which can cause damage to the brain tissue.

Two main types of stroke are ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot or thrombus forms that blocks blood flow to part of the brain while hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel on the brain's surface ruptures. About 87 percent of stroke cases are Ischemic stroke.

A stroke is a medical emergency and anyone who is suspected of having one should be rush to hospital immediately so that appropriate treatment can be carried out as soon as possible.

There are 5 sudden symptoms of stroke, as brought out by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, that can save a life, namely sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body; sudden confusion, difficulty talking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing on one side; sudden, severe difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of coordination or balance and sudden and severe headache for no known reason.

If any one of these symptoms is recognized, immediate medical help should be sought, regardless of the victim’s age. Any of the severe symptoms could indicate the start of a stroke. Immediate treatment can possibly improve the victim’s chances of not becoming permanently disabled, developing a heart attack or even dying. However, people should not have to worry too much if any of the symptoms just occur in a mild way that lasts for only a short while.

It is possible to prevent a stroke that is in progress with clot-busting drugs and even reverse the damage. According to a study presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2010, outcome could improve by 30 percent if a stroke patient could take clot-busting drug within 3 hours of onset.