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A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, either when a blood clot blocks a vessel (ischemic stroke) or when a vessel weakens or bursts (hemorrhagic stroke). According to the National Stroke Association, an estimated 800,000 people experience a stroke every year.
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string(5336) "The myths about strokes are numerous. Among the most popular — and perhaps one of the most dangerous — is that strokes are something that happens only to older adults.
In fact, a recent report by the American Stroke Association showed a sharp rise in hospitalizations among men and women ages 15 to 44, while rates declined by 25 percent among older adults.
Lowering your risk is the best way to avoid the life-changing impact strokes can have on you and your family. When strokes occur, fast action is critical to minimize damage. The window of opportunity for the most successful treatment is just three hours after onset.
Prevention: What You Can Do
Heart disease increases the chance of having a stroke. Because of this, it is important to live a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risks of heart disease.
While you can’t do anything about certain risk factors like age, family history, or ethnicity (African Americans have a higher incidence of stroke), you can control high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking.
Since high blood pressure and high cholesterol increase the risk of stroke, maintaining a healthy lifestyle to keep both low is important. Preventing a stroke is far better and easier than dealing with the consequences.
Treatment: Time Lost is Brain Lost
Every minute after the start of a stroke means greater risk of permanent damage or death. One of the best treatments for ischemic strokes — where a clot blocks blood flow to the brain — is the quick administration of the clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). While UPMC doctors have had success beyond three hours with a special procedure to retrieve the blockage or dissolve it with drugs administered directly into the clot, time is critical.
For patients experiencing hemorrhagic strokes caused by bleeding in the brain, fast action is needed to repair the leaking blood vessel.
Call 911
If you suspect someone has suffered a stroke, call for emergency medical help immediately so treatment can begin without delay.
Specialized stroke centers — such as UPMC's Stroke Institute at UPMC Presbyterian, UPMC Shadyside, UPMC St. Margaret, and UPMC Mercy — have experts available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to diagnose and treat patients. The UPMC Stroke Telemedicine Program also uses technology to provide fast treatment to patients at other UPMC hospitals throughout western Pennsylvania.
Think FAST
Use this simple acronym to help determine whether you're witnessing a stroke:
F ace: Can the person smile (or does one side of the face droop)?
A rms: Can the person raise both arms (or does one side drift downward)?
S peech: Can the person speak clearly or repeat a simple phrase?
T ime: Call 911 immediately if someone exhibits any of these warning signs!
Act FAST
Strokes require immediate medical attention, so knowing the warning signs is crucial, says William Kristan, MD, chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at UPMC Passavant. Stroke symptoms can include sudden onset of:
- Paralysis or weakness in the face or limbs, especially on one side of the body
- Problems with balance or walking
- Vision problems
- Slurred speech
- Confusion
- Problems speaking or understanding
- Severe headache
For more information on stroke diagnosis and management, c
ontact the UPMC Stroke Institute to schedule an appointment or ask a question at 412-232-8840
."
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Learn more about the prevention and treatment options for strokes.Read More
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string(5101) "Life after a stroke can be challenging, not to mention the added worry of having another. Each year in the U.S., an estimated one in four strokes will happen to someone who has already survived one, according to the National Stroke Foundation. You can reduce your risk of stroke by focusing on factors that you can control:
- Diet
- Exercise
- Smoking
- Managing medications
- Managing other conditions
Eat a Healthy Plate
Diet is a great way to keep your body healthy and help prevent chronic disease. In addition to choosing more fruits and vegetables, lean meats, seafood, low-fat dairy, whole grains, and fiber, you should limit saturated and trans fats, sodium,
alcohol, and added sugars. These choices can keep
blood pressure and cholesterol levels lower, significantly reducing your risk of a second stroke.
Many stroke survivors have a limited appetite, or have trouble eating due to swallowing problems or limited arm movement. To help, you and your caregivers can create meals with stronger flavors and bold colors. Try adding salt-free herbs and spices to tempt your taste buds, and cut food into bite-sized pieces or choose softer foods that are easier to chew.
Stay Active and Quit Smoking
Stroke can limit your mobility, but even small amounts of activity can improve your overall health. Start with a low-impact activity that you enjoy. Chart your progress and take pride in each minute you're active. Even five minutes of walking or arm circles can help your physical health — and your mental health. Exercise can also build confidence, ward off
depression and anxiety, and actually give you back energy.
Smoking is a major risk factor for future strokes, since it reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood. That in turn makes the heart work harder and makes blood clots more likely to form. Cigarette smoking also contributes to high blood pressure and respiratory illness. Although quitting is hard, smokers have double the risk of stroke as nonsmokers, so know the benefits and get help from family, coworkers, and your health care providers.
Keep an Eye on Related Conditions and Risks
Several health conditions and measurements have a direct impact on whether or not you have another stroke. High blood pressure can weaken arteries gradually, so keep it under control through lifestyle changes and medication. Likewise, high cholesterol should be managed carefully, and cholesterol-lowering statins are frequently prescribed.
You should also be checked for a type of irregular heartbeat called
atrial fibrillation, which depending on its cause and severity can be treated in several ways. Though not as common as high blood pressure and cholesterol, atrial fibrillation is strongly associated with stroke. It causes blood to pool in the heart, which can form clots that travel to the brain.
Sleep apnea is common in survivors and associated with a much higher risk of another attack. Sleep apnea causes your airway to be blocked, which leads to lower blood oxygen, a faster heart rate, and higher blood pressure.
Type 2 Diabetes, when not well controlled, can lead to serious cardiovascular problems, including stroke.
Manage Your Medications
Your doctors, pharmacists, and other providers have probably given you a laundry list of prescriptions along with when and how to take them. When added to all the other advice you've been given, this can be overwhelming, frustrating, and even insulting. Unfortunately, not taking medications as instructed — or noncompliance as it's called by health care providers — puts you at much greater risk of a recurrent stroke.
One cause of noncompliance with doctor's orders is denial. It's human nature to hope that by ignoring something, it goes away, and not taking medications can push away reality. While skipping one dose or one day's worth of a medicine may not make you feel any differently, the long-term effects can be dangerous. If you aren't sure about your dosage, or are frustrated by not seeing results, talk to your doctor before making changes on your own.
To learn more about strokes and the latest findings on their affects, contact
the UPMC Stroke Institute to schedule an appointment or ask a question at 412-232-8840.
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Learn how you can help prevent stroke recurrence with these four simple methods. Find out how a healthy lifestyle can make a difference.Read More
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string(4167) "If you know anyone who has suffered from a stroke, you might be aware of one of the more common treatments for stroke: the clot-busting drug called tPA. This treatment works by dissolving the blood clot and improving blood flow to the part of the brain being deprived of blood. While this has been the "gold standard" for stroke treatment for decades, a new treatment is proving more effective at removing large clots than tPA alone and can lead to better outcomes for stroke patients.
The method, known as mechanical thrombectomy with a stent retriever, was researched at UPMC and other facilities worldwide. In fact, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, in partnership with the UPMC Stroke Institute, served as principal investigator in one clinical trial of stent retrieval thrombectomy and lead recruiter in another. Thanks to these trials' success, the procedure is now approved for widespread use throughout the world.
How the Mechanical Thrombectomy Procedure Works
When a stroke patient arrives for treatment, tPA is usually delivered directly to the site of the clot. After administering tPA, stroke physicians use advanced neuro-imaging to evaluate the patient's brain. If tPa alone does not dissolve the clot and restore blood flow, and the patient is a good candidate, mechanical thrombectomy is the next step.
During the mechanical thrombectomy:
- A catheter is threaded into an artery in the groin and up through the neck, until it reaches the blood clot causing the stroke
- Using x-ray guided imaging, a stent retriever is inserted into the catheter
- The stent reaches past the clot, expands to stretch the walls of the artery so blood can flow, and is "retrieved" – or pulled backwards – which removes the clot
Benefits and Advantages of Mechanical Thrombectomy
Mechanical thrombectomy is considered a breakthrough in stroke treatment. Removing blood clots from the brain leads to better outcomes for stroke patients, including greater independence and mobility. Previous endovascular interventions were unable to remove clots quickly and safely enough. When used in conjunction with tPA and medical treatments, this method significantly reduces stroke-related disability and mortality.
To learn more about stroke prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, contact
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Learn about mechanical thrombectomy, the new groundbreaking treatment for stroke available at UPMC. Discover the benefits of this procedure.Read More
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string(5048) "Sometimes called a "brain attack," a stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, either when a blood clot blocks a vessel (ischemic stroke) or when a vessel weakens or bursts (hemorrhagic stroke). Brief interruptions in blood flow, known as transient ischemic attacks (also known as ministrokes), can mimic stroke symptoms.
When blood flow is interrupted, brain cells don't receive enough oxygen and begin to die. Depending on what part of the brain is damaged, a stroke can cause problems with:
- Memory
- Speech
- Muscle control
- Other functions
According to the National Stroke Association, an estimated 800,000 people experience a stroke every year. The problem is the leading cause of disability in American adults and the fifth leading cause of death in the country.
Act Immediately
Fortunately, ischemic strokes — the most common type of stroke — respond to immediate treatment with a drug called IV-tPA, which can dissolve blood clots that block blood flow to the brain. Research has shown that some patients who were treated with IV-tPA within three hours of developing stroke symptoms were at least 30 percent more likely to recover with little or no disability, compared to those who didn't receive this drug. Because IV-tPA must be administered as soon as possible, it's imperative that you seek immediate medical attention if you think you or a loved one is having a stroke.
Yet women are much less likely to receive this crucial treatment, possibly because they often experience different stroke symptoms than men. The latter tend to exhibit more "classic" symptoms. Here's the difference:
Classic Stroke Symptoms
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, particularly on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion or difficulty speaking or understanding speech
- Sudden difficulty walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Other Stroke Symptoms
Although those are the symptoms that most people commonly experience, research has shown women are 33 percent less likely to report such "classic" stroke symptoms when they arrive at the emergency room than their male counterparts. Some people — and women in particular — are more apt to experience other, vague symptoms that could signal a stroke. These include:
- Lightheadedness, fainting, or loss of consciousness
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- General weakness
- Agitation
- Confusion, unresponsiveness, or disorientation
- Sudden behavioral changes
- Hallucinations
- Nausea or vomiting
- Pain
- Seizures
- Hiccups
Because such symptoms are often associated with other problems, people who exhibit them may not be aware that they are experiencing a stroke. If you think that you or a loved one are having a stroke, call 911 immediately.
Contact
the UPMC Stroke Institute to schedule an appointment or ask a question at 412-232-8840.
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Research has shown women are 33 percent less likely to report symptoms when they are suffering from a stroke. Learn more.Read More
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string(3626) "For many people, the threat of having a stroke is a feared part of getting older. But the truth is that a stroke (also called a "brain attack") can happen at any age. Stroke treatment depends on the type of stroke. There are two main types of strokes, but both occur when blood flow — and therefore the delivery of oxygen — to the brain is interrupted.
To learn more about stroke prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, contact the UPMC Stroke Institute to schedule an appointment or ask a question at 412-232-8840
An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in or leading to the brain. Ischemic strokes are by far the most common type of stroke and make up and estimated 85 percent of all strokes. There are two subcategories of ischemic stroke: Thrombotic strokes occur when a blood clot blocks a vessel in the brain, while embolic strokes occur when a blood clot forms elsewhere in the body and moves to the brain.
The second main type of stroke is called a hemorrhagic stroke. It occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or bursts. A third kind of stroke, a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or "ministroke" is a brief interruption in blood flow to the brain that can mimic stroke symptoms. In all three cases, when blood flow is interrupted, brain cells don't receive enough oxygen and begin to die. Depending on what part of the brain is damaged, a stroke can cause problems with memory, speech, muscle control, or other functions.
Treating Different Types of Strokes
As you might imagine, treatment depends on the type of stroke.
Ischemic stroke treatment
Doctors typically treat an ischemic stroke with medications that break up blood clots. These include aspirin, which is given immediately in the emergency room to help prevent another stroke from occurring. The intravenous drug IV-tPA can also dissolve blood clots and restore blood flow, and has been shown to help reduce stroke-related disability in some people. However, this treatment must be given within about four-and-a-half hours after the onset of symptoms. Intra-arterial tPA or mechanical thrombectomy — advanced treatments available at the UPMC Stroke Institute — can be administered to select patients within eight to ten hours after symptoms begin.
Hemorrhagic stroke treatment
Treatment for a hemorrhagic stroke usually involves medications to stop bleeding, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of seizures. Once bleeding is controlled, your physician may recommend that you undergo surgery to repair blood vessel abnormalities to help prevent another stroke from occurring.
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) treatment
If you have had a ministroke or TIA, your doctor will take steps to help prevent another TIA or a full-blown stroke. Therapies can include medications that protect against blood clots, such as anti-platelet drugs (aspirin, Plavix) and anticoagulant drugs; or blood thinners (heparin, warfarin). Depending on your individual situation, your doctor may also recommend surgery or other procedures to clear clogged arteries.
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Stroke treatment depends on the type of stroke. There are two main types of stroke – learn more about their treatment options.Read More
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string(1320) "A stroke occurs when blood flow and oxygen to the brain is interrupted. This loss of blood and oxygen causes two million brain cells to die every minute, so time is of the essence. The longer a stroke goes untreated, the higher the odds of permanent brain damage, disability, or death. After suffering a stroke, you may experience a variety of symptoms. These depend on the side of the brain that the stroke occurs.
Check out our infographic to learn more about the symptoms of a stroke and the problems patients may face in the aftermath.
Stroke on the Right Side of the Brain
If the stroke occurs on the right side of the brain, you may experience:
- Left-side weakness
- Impulsive behavior
- Overconfidence in abilities
- Vision problems
Stroke on the Left Side of the Brain
If the stroke occurred on the left, you may experience:
- Right-side weakness
- Speech and language problems
- Slow behavior
"
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string(142) "A stroke itself is a shock and recovery can be, too. Check out our infographic to learn some common issues faced in the aftermath of a stroke."
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A stroke itself is a shock and recovery can be, too. Check out our infographic to learn some common issues faced in the aftermath of a stroke.View Infographic
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string(4418) "You may already have a bottle of aspirin in your medicine cabinet. But did you know that besides treating aches, pains, and fevers, aspirin may help lower your risk for a heart attack or stroke?
If your doctor has recommended aspirin, a nonsteroidal and anti-inflammatory drug, to lower your risk for heart attack and stroke, you may be wondering how it works and how to take it safely.
Learn more about how aspirin can help your heart and what lifestyle changes you can make to possibly decrease your risk.
To learn more about whether taking aspirin for heart health is right for you, visit the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute.
How Does Aspirin Prevent a Heart Attack or Stroke?
Aspirin may help lower your risk for a heart attack or stroke by preventing dangerous blood clots from forming. When you damage a blood vessel, usually by a cut or bruise, your body sends small cell fragments called platelets to the site of the injury. The platelets stick together, or clot, to stop the bleeding allow the injury to heal.
Plaque buildup in your arteries can put you at risk for dangerous blood clots because plaque can rupture. If a blood clot forms at the site of the rupture, it can block blood flow and lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Aspirin can help keep platelets from sticking together, thus lowering your risk for dangerous blood clots.
Who Should Take Aspirin for Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention?
Your doctor may recommend daily aspirin to lower your risk for heart attack and stroke if you have:
- Had a heart attack or stroke in the past, or are at risk for one
- Undergone angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery
- Peripheral artery disease, or blocked blood vessels in your legs
- Atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm problem that raises your risk for blood clots
- Coronary artery disease, or blocked blood vessels in your heart
You should only take aspirin for heart health if your doctor recommends it. Your doctor may also suggest taking aspirin with other medicines that can help prevent dangerous blood clots.
If you have a high risk for bleeding or are allergic to aspirin, you shouldn't take it. Because aspirin affects your blood's ability to clot, you might bleed easier. It's important to alert your doctor, dentist, and other health care providers that you're taking aspirin before undergoing any medical procedures.
Will I Need to Make Other Lifestyle Changes?
In addition to taking aspirin to lower your risk for heart attack and stroke, your doctor might recommend the following lifestyle changes:
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string(105) "Learn how taking a daily aspirin can possibly lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.
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Learn how taking a daily aspirin can possibly lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.Read More
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string(4506) "True or false? Only the elderly are at risk of having a stroke.
False. Stroke can happen at any age, and there are a variety of risk factors associated with having a stroke earlier in life. In fact, many young adults are unprepared when a stroke occurs: They may not recognize its symptoms or seek care in time.
RELATED: Why Rehabilitation Matters for Stroke Victims
How Often Does Stroke Occur in Young Adults?
Although the majority of people who suffer a stroke are older than 60, up to 10 percent of all strokes occur in those under age 45.
Infants, high school students, and young adults can experience a stroke. A stroke can develop unexpectedly, so make sure you recognize the signs and react quickly.
Why Do Young People Have Strokes?
Risk factors that increase the chance of having a stroke as a young adult include:
In elderly people, strokes often are the result of blood clots that travel to the brain or clogged arteries that prevent proper blood flow. Though it can take years for arteries to harden, habits such as
smoking, heavy drug use, and a poor diet can quicken the process, potentially resulting in a stroke at a young age.
Though these factors increase the risk of young adults suffering from a stroke, there are still many unknown causes of stroke in those under 45.
Knowing the Signs of Stroke in Young Adults
To help you determine if someone is having a stroke, use the acronym "F.A.S.T." This stands for:
- Face - Is their face drooping on one side?
- Arms - Do they have difficulty raising both arms?
- Speech - Is their speech slurred? Are they unable to repeat simple phrases?
- Time - If you can answer yes to any of the above questions, call 911 as soon as possible.
Symptoms that accompany a stroke include:
- Dizziness
- Numbness on one side of the body
- Headaches
- Difficulty speaking
The symptoms of stroke in young adults are the same as those in older people. Do not wait to see if the stroke symptoms go away on their own. Call 911, even if you are unsure someone is experiencing the symptoms of a stroke.
How to Reduce Your Risk of Stroke
A stroke can occur at any age, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk.
One of the most important ways to protect yourself from stroke is by maintaining a healthy diet and weight, which also helps lower your risk for
type 2 diabetes,
cholesterol, and
high blood pressure. Important ways you can lower your stroke risk include:
- Keep a regular exercise schedule of at least 30 minutes a day, three times a week
- Kick those unhealthy habits, such as smoking and excessive drinking
- Manage and monitor any known heart conditions with the help of your doctor
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Stroke can happen at any age, and there are a variety of risk factors associated with having a stroke earlier in life.Read More
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string(2646) "Also known as a "brain attack," a stroke may seem like a sudden occurrence that comes on as quickly as a lightning strike.
In reality, there is no set timeframe for strokes — some can last just minutes, while others can linger for hours or even days.
The faster your stroke is treated, the better your chances of survival, so it's important to understand the symptoms of different types of strokes.
How Long Do Stroke Symptoms Last?
An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain is blocked by a blood clot. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain becomes weak and bursts open, causing blood to leak into the brain.
Both of these types of strokes can cause a variety of symptoms, depending on the part of the brain affected, including:
- Sudden weakness
- Sudden, severe headache
- Paralysis or numbness of the face, arm, or leg, usually only on one side of the body
- Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
- Difficulty seeing out of one or both eyes
- Confusion
- Trouble breathing
- Trouble walking
- Dizziness
The severity and duration of stroke symptoms can vary from person to person. If you notice any of these signs in yourself or in someone else, seek medical attention immediately. Medication and surgical interventions can help treat stroke and increase the odds of survival and recovery.
What Is a 'Mini-Stroke?'
Also known as a "mini-stroke," a transient ischemic attack (TIA) has the same or similar symptoms as a full-blown stroke. The difference is that a TIA usually lasts just a few minutes and doesn't always cause the same lasting impairments as a major stroke.
It is critical, however, to seek help for TIAs, too, because they are often warning signs that you could experience a serious, more severe stroke in the future.
To learn more about stroke prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, contact the UPMC Stroke Institute to schedule an appointment or ask a question at 412-232-8840.
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There’s no set timeframe for strokes — some can last just minutes, while others can linger for hours or even days.Read More
