OpinionsNurse TalesTo detect stroke, think fast

To detect stroke, think fast

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It comes like a thief in the night, or at the height of a pleasurable moment, or when the barometer is way up there as well as in other circumstances. A person may completely recover, if he is extra lucky and has the resources, while some may be debilitated for life, and the not so lucky ones, die instantly.

You see survivors in malls, churches, anywhere, walking with a cane, a limp, or in a wheelchair. Their diagnosis: cerebrovascular accident or stroke.

I took care of a lot of them when I was working at the Silliman University Medical Center.

A stroke is a condition which occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or reduced. The brain is subsequently deprived of oxygen and nutrients, which can cause would result to the death of brain cells.

Seek immediate medical attention if any signs or symptoms of a stroke is present, even if they seem to fluctuate or disappear.

Think FAST and do the following:

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

Arms. Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Or is one arm unable to be raised up?

Speech. Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is his speech slurred or strange?

Time. If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately.

Many factors can increase the risk of a stroke. Some factors can also increase your chances of having a heart attack. Potentially treatable stroke risk factors include 1) Lifestyle risk factors: being overweight or obese, physical inactivity, heavy or binge drinking, and use of illicit drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamines.

2) Medical risk factors: high blood pressure. The risk of stroke begins to increase at blood pressure readings higher than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), cigarette smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke, high cholesterol, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea – a sleep disorder in which the oxygen level intermittently drops during the night and cardiovascular disease, including heart failure, heart defects, heart infection or abnormal heart rhythm.

3) Other factors associated with a higher risk of stroke include: personal or family history of stroke, heart attack or transient ischemic attack, being age 55 or older, race (African-Americans have a higher risk of stroke than do people of other races, and gender). Men have a higher risk of stroke than women. Women are usually older when they have strokes, and they’re more likely to die of strokes than are men.

Also, they may have some risk from some birth control pills or hormone therapies that include estrogen, as well as from pregnancy and childbirth (Mayo Clinic).

Using FAST in assessing for stroke could save a patient’s life and go a long way towards his/her being a productive member of the family and society. So think FAST!

_____________________________

Author’s email: [email protected]

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