Posts Tagged ‘stroke treatment’

Stroke

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

A stroke occurs when the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain is suddenly interrupted.

A stroke can be categorized in one of two ways: 1) ischemic stroke which is caused by the buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) in a brain artery or by a blood clot which blocks blood flow in a brain artery and 2) hemorrhagic stroke which is caused by a sudden rupture of an artery that leads to the brain. When blood flow to the brain ceases, the brain receives no oxygen. This can cause temporary or permanent brain damage, and with time, can result in death.

What are the warning signs and symptoms of a stroke?
A stroke can have several different symptoms. Do not ignore them- every second counts. When treated early, your chance of survival increases and the likelihood of permanent brain damage decrease.

Be aware of the following symptoms and signs of stroke:

  • Difficulty feeling or moving on one side of the body
  • Slurring or trouble speaking
  • Brief episode of a weakness of an arm or leg
  • Momentary loss of vision
  • Darkening of the vision in one eye
  • A shade or curtain coming down over one eye
  • Dizziness or confusion
  • Faint (syncope) or feeling faint

Do not ignore the warning signs of a stroke. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the above symptoms, immediately call 9-1-1 to get to emergency hospital care as quickly as possible.

How is a stroke detected?
A stroke is usually detected too late.  That is, when a patient reaches the emergency room. However, if you experience early symptoms of a stroke, there are imaging tests that can determine if you are having a stroke or need treatment to prevent one.

Stroke is a progressive disease caused by several cardiovascular risk factors. These include family history of stroke, old age, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight, lack of exercise, and stress. We invite you to take a simple and free risk assessment to evaluate your own risk factors.

If you are at risk for stroke (e.g. have multiple risk factors), talk to your physician. He or she can perform imaging tests to detect cardiovascular disease early and prevent a stroke. These imaging studies include:

  • Carotid Duplex Scan (ultrasound)
  • Computed Topography (CT) Scan
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

What are the treatment options for a stroke?
The best medicine for treatment of stroke is prevention. This means making lifestyle changes to reduce your cardiovascular risk factors. A stroke occurs when fatty deposits (plaque) build up inside the arteries leading to your brain. This is called peripheral vascular disease, and is progressive–meaning the plaque accumulates over time. But if you modify your risk factors that contribute to peripheral vascular disease (and coronary artery disease as well), you can maintain, and in some cases, reverse the effects of the disease.

Should you or someone you know have a stroke, a treatment plan will be developed specific to the severity of your condition. Your doctor will monitor your health carefully to prevent further brain damage. Then your doctor may recommend therapy to deal with consequences of stroke. This may include physical, speech and occupational therapy.

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Dr. Manohar on Stroke Prevention (part 2 of 2)

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Dr. Prerana Manohar of the Heart and Wellness Institute of Grand Rapids Explains the Risk Factors of Stroke and How to Prevent one from Happening.

 

Dr. Manohar with The Heart and Wellness Institute discusses stroke prevention on Family Health Matters.  There are risk factors that play a key role in stroke victims.  These risk factors include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Smoking
  • Abnormal cholesterol
  • Poor body composition
  • Physical inactivity
  • Stress

Working on improving these conditions can help prevent the occurrence of a stroke.  Anyone suffering from high blood pressure has an increased risk of stroke, up to 1 ½ to 3 times.  That risk can be reversed if properly treated.

 Some common symptoms to look for include:

  • Loss of  limb control (arms or legs)
  • Slurred speech
  • Loss of balance
  • Visual changes

Dr. Manohar emphasizes the importance of going to the hospital within one hour of any observed symptoms. If a person waits too long, then s/he may not qualify for certain therapies that can prevent long-term, permanent damage.  However, there are those who do suffer from damaging effects.  It is also crucial to note that not all damage can be reversed, but rehabilitation can help with the recovery process.

Diet plays a key role in stroke prevention.  Certain foods can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol; foods that are rich in antioxidants are also beneficial.  Foods that are rich in antioxidants can help reduce inflammation of the blood vessels, thus reducing the chance of stroke.  Here are some foods that can help:

  • Low calorie fruits and vegetables
  • Berries
  • Oranges
  • Papaya
  • Pomegranates
  • Asparagus and Broccoli
  • Garlic (a natural blood thinner/rich with antioxidants)

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Dr. Manohar on Stroke Prevention (part 1 of 2)

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

The Heart and Wellness Institute’s Dr. Manohar Talks About Preventing a Stroke (1 of 2)

Today on Family Health Matters, the topic of discussion is strokes. The guest speaker is Dr. Prerana Manohar with The Heart and Wellness Institute.

According to Dr. Manohar, strokes and heart disease are connected and the risk factors for both are interrelated.  It is vital to be aware of the symptoms because timing can mean all the difference.  The symptoms of a stroke include:

  • inability to speak
  • loss of balance
  • falling down
  • and losing control of your legs

The most common symptom is numbness or tingling in one’s arms or legs.  These symptoms need to be addressed within hours (3 or less) as opposed to days.  Dr. Manohar quickly adds that as soon as a person notices any symptoms s/he should go directly to the emergency room.  The sooner treatment is administered, the less chance there is of immediate damage. Also, treatment received within the first hour of any observation of these symptoms reduces the chance of long-term damage.

Dr. Manohar explains what happens to the brain during a stroke.  The blood supply shuts down in a section of the brain due to a blood clot or a piece of cholesterol plaque that has broken off and clogged an artery of that part of the brain.  When this occurs, that area of the brain is not receiving enough blood flow and begins to die.

As far as which age group is at risk for suffering a stroke- there is no specific age group that is affected more than another.  Anyone can suffer from a stroke, whether they are in their twenties or in their sixties.  In fact, 4 in 100 people are susceptible to suffering a stroke.  High risk factors include:

  • Smoking
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Abnormal cholesterol
  • Obesity
  • Abnormal weight change
  • History of stroke or heart disease
  • Peripheral vascular disease

There are some risk factors that we clearly can control. These factors include, but are not limited to, losing weight and quitting smoking.  One high risk factor that needs to be mentioned is stress.  Stress is a crucial component we often feel that we can not control, but it does need to be controlled.  Dr. Manohar emphasizes the importance of not allowing stress to manage us and explains that the ideal situation would be for us to manage our stress.

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