Recognizing a Stroke
- A stroke happens when blood flow is restricted to one part of the brain. When this happens, part of the brain is not getting enough blood and oxygen, causing damage to certain cells that can impact certain parts of the body.
- Below are warning signs that a part of your brain may not be receiving enough blood flow or oxygen:
B.E F.A.S.T
Be – Balance or coordination difficulties
E – Blurred vision, double vision, loss of vision
Face – facial drooping, numbness, tingling, difficulty swallowing
Arm – arm weakness or incoordination of one side of the body. Also watch for numbness, tingling
Speech – difficulty speaking, difficulty understanding what others are saying, difficulty finding the right words, confusion
Time- Call 911 right away. Act fast!
Preventing Stroke
- Knowing and controlling your risk factors is an important factor in lowering your risk of stroke.
- Talking to your doctor can help identify and treat any controllable risk factors.
- Stroke risk is never 0, but we can do our part in living a healthy lifestyle.
Controllable Risk Factors
- High Blood Pressure/High Cholesterol – high blood pressure is the leading cause of a stroke. Regularly check your blood pressure and check in with your doctor. Medicine and lifestyle strategies and help control your blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Diabetes – increased sugar in the blood can prevent blood and oxygen from getting to your brain, increasing risk of stroke. Talk to your doctor about lifestyle strategies/medications to manage this
- AFib
- Smoking/Vaping
- Alcohol/drug use
- Diet – diets high in saturated fats, sodium, and cholesterol can raise your blood pressure.
- Lack of physical activity – this can lead to other risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Uncontrollable Risk Factors
- Age – stroke risk increases with age.
- Gender – strokes are more prevalent in women.
- Race – stroke risk is highest in the African- American population.
- Previous stroke/family history of stroke