Could You be at Risk for a Stroke?

  Contributed by: Stacey Schmidt, Pharm.D. Candidate

                        UMKC School of Pharmacy
Text Box: What is a stroke? A stroke is an event that happens when there is not enough oxygen going to the brain. The brain does not get enough oxygen when the blood vessels going to or in the brain become clogged or burst. If the brain does not get enough oxygen, it starts to die and brain damage can occur. A stroke is sometimes called a “brain attack.” Depending on how long this “brain attack” lasts, will decide how much damage is done to the brain. Am I at risk for a stroke? There are many risk factors that can increase your chances of having a stroke. Some of these are: High blood pressure Diabetes (or high blood sugar) Cigarette smoking (or a high exposure to second-hand smoke) Heart disease (such as Heart Failure or an irregular heart beat) High cholesterol Obesity (being overweight) Lack of exercise A family history of heart disease Increased age: men over 55 years of age and women over 65 years of age Men are at a higher risk at lower ages, but the risk is the same for Text Box: males and females at higher ages What are the symptoms of a stroke? There are different types of strokes and they all can have different symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms include: Blindness in one eye Dizziness (or feeling off balance) or trouble walking Confusion or difficulty understanding Weakness on one side of the body Loss of feeling (numbness) on one side of the body in the face, arm, or leg Difficulty swallowing or eating Difficulty speaking Seeing double or having a hard time seeing Losing consciousness (or going into a coma) Unequal pupils of the eye (one bigger than the other) Headache Nausea or vomiting Lack of coordination What can I do if I think someone is having a stroke? There is a simple test you can do Text Box: called Act F.A.S.T. (see the table below) How can I prevent a stroke? If you think that you are at risk for a stroke, then you need to talk to your physician to decide if you should be taking a low dose aspirin a day. If you are allergic to aspirin, there are some prescription medications that can work like aspirin to help prevent a stroke. Where can I get more information about strokes? If you would like some more information about strokes you can talk to your pharmacist, physician or visit either the website for the National Stroke Association at www.stroke.org or the American Stroke Association at www.strokeassociation.org. Text Box: Next Page Text Box: Previous Page

Act F.A.S.T.

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?

Speech

  Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.

  Are the words slurred?  Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly?

Time

  If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important. 

  Call 911 or get to the hospital fast.  Brain cells are dying.