Types of Strokes
Ischemic strokes occur when arteries are blocked by a small blood clot or as plaque and other fatty deposits build up in the arteries. Almost 90 percent of all strokes are ischemic Hemorrhagic strokes: Happen when a blood vessel in the brain breaks open and starts to leak. Hemorrhagic strokes account for just over 10 percent of all strokes. However, hemorrhagic strokes account for more than 30 percent of all stroke-related deaths.Act F.A.S.T.
Learning to recognize the symptoms of a stroke and getting help immediately are very important. Over 2,000,000 brain cells die every minute during a stroke, and can quickly cause irreversible brain damage. The faster you can recognize the signs of a stroke and get treatment, the more likely any permanent damage can be reversed. To recognize the signs of a stroke, remember the acronym F.A.S.T. Face drooping: Ask the person to smile. Does their face look uneven? Arm weakness: Ask them to raise both arms out in front of them. Does one arm drift downward? Speech difficulty: Ask them to repeat a simple phrase. Does their speech sound strange? Time to call 9-1-1: If the person shows any of these symptoms call for help fast. Call 911!It’s very important to learn to recognize the symptoms of a stroke and call 911 as soon as possible. Time saves brain tissue and could even save a life. Just remember to act F.A.S.T. Always note the time of day you recognize the first symptoms of a stroke.
For ischemic strokes, if treatment with clot busting medication is given within the first three hours of the first symptom, long term disability can be reduced greatly.
There are also other stroke treatments available that may help reduce the effects of the stroke. Hemorrhagic strokes most likely will need surgical intervention to relieve the buildup of blood in the brain and to fix the leak in the blood vessels.
Sources
www.stroke.org
19 comments
nicole
I did notice you did put in the first part of the information, what F.A.S.T meant, the first letters were BOLD, i guess not everyone notices that. Anyway… Thank you
James Ferrone
This is very important to know. I had a stroke when I was 35…I passed the FAST test at the ER. If they did BEFAST, they might have called it a stroke sooner, but we spent the next two months in several hospitals before someone finally said I’d had an arterial dissection, which caused a stroke. Very important for people to know, thank you!
Arlene Butler
I am very grateful and appreciative for all of the tips etc. that you put on your web site free of charge and for the constructive comments from others who have contributed and I am sure have benefitted from all of the work of Emergency Essentials I know that I have. Thankyou so very much.
Tim White
The day this article was written ( 7-18-2014 ), I had just been released from the hospital, where I was treated for an upper GI bleed, which led to 2 strokes. I was not expected to survive. Here I am! Thanks to all who treated me in the almost month I was there, & 3 months outpatient therapy. My family was a huge factor!
beprepared
Anne,
Great question. I have a question for you first, just to get more of a feel for what’s happening. After you’ve opened your cans, did moisture collect inside? If not and if you’re just wondering how to keep moisture out, I’ve got a couple of suggestions for you. One thing we recommend is that after opening your cans, you can protect your food from moisture by putting the contents of the can into gallon-sized ziploc bags or metallized bags. After opening the can, you want to keep the food stored in the can with the lid on because the cans are specially made to protect the food from light and moisture. Packaging plays a large role in helping to keep moisture out of the food as well as having oxygen absorbers.
Angela
beprepared
Mike,
Thanks for sharing and clearing up those differences in strokes.
Angela
beprepared
Kim,
Thanks for sharing! It’s true that strokes can act as signs of other health issues. It might take that stroke to get someone in to the doctor to discover other issues going on (even though, having a stroke is not the ideal way to find these things out). Also, making sure you take your medications (if you’re prescribed) makes a major difference in keeping strokes at bay. My great aunt recently passed away from a stroke because she did not take her meds and the signs of stroke were unrecognized. This is truly valuable information to know.
Angela
Anne Whittemore
I’ve bought 10# cans from EE. If I open cans to fix meal, how can I keep remaining contents moisture-proof? I want to fix my own MREs, but can’t figure out how to keep the food moisture-proof. I should have bought MREs to start with.
GAYLE SCHOTT
The meaning of the acronym was obvious in the text…thanks for the info
Henry Goodman
As a hospital pharmacist, I applaud your efforts to disseminate this valuable information to the public. Keep up the great work!
Betty
Thanks!!!
Kim Nelson
One of my brothers was showing signs of a stroke, weakness on the right side. His right leg was giving out and he would fall. He never told any of the family about this. One day at work, he told his boss he wasn’t feeling well and took the day off. When he was talking to our mother, she noticed his speech was slurred. Later, when he was checked out at the hospital they discovered it was a slow growing brain tumor which had been growing for 20 years! My brother said the only time his head hurt was when he sneezed. Sometimes symptoms of a stroke can be signs of other health issues.
Faith
And remember that botulism can mimic a stroke. Be careful with home canning!
Linda Strickland
They did explain what FAST meant. I read it. I’m sorry you could not see it. Thanks for the information!!
beprepared
Michael,
Thank you for pointing this out. I’ve updated the post with the meaning of the acronym. Thank you for being patient and understanding.
Angela
Michael
You did not actually tell what F.A.S.T. stands for????
Without emphasizing the actual mnemonic this post is actully less than no help.
Does no one review these things???
beprepared
Rick,
Thanks! You are right. I will fix that right away.
Angela
Rick
It would be nice to include what FAST means;
Face
Arms
Speech
Time
Mike
Everyone should know this. One fact that your doctor will never tell you is that Cholesterol levels affect Stroke risk and not in the way that you might think. There are two types of strokes Ischemic and Hemorrhagic. An ischemic stroke is cause by a blockage robbing a portion of the brain of blood. A Hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a ruptured blood vessel bleeding into the brain. This second type is the most likely type to cause death and permanent damage. If your total Cholesterol is under 200, you have twice the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke as someone who’s total cholesterol is above 200.