Cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular diseases is the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels (arteries and veins). They are the leading causes of death in North America, and the risks increase as we age. Giving the importance of understanding this topic we are posting this to both: Aging in America© and Ageing In Canada© and Sometimes On The Edge©.
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This article is based on recommendations of Medline Plus® ~ A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.; US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS); American Heart Association. In Canada: Health Canada ~ Heart and Stroke;/Santé Canada - Maladies du coeur/Maladies cardiovasculaires; Canadian Stoke Network; / le Réseau canadien contre les accidents cérébrovasculaires; Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada / Fondation des maladies du coeur.
“A stroke is a medical emergency. Strokes happen when blood flow to your brain stops. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. There are two kinds of stroke. The more common kind, called ischemic stroke, is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain. The other kind, called hemorrhagic stroke, is caused by a blood vessel that breaks and bleeds into the brain. "Mini-strokes" or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), occur when the blood supply to the brain is briefly interrupted.
Symptoms of stroke are
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg (especially on one side of the body)
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause
A history of TIAs a "warning stroke" or "mini-stroke" that produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage. Recognizing and treating TIAs can reduce (risk of a full stroke). (from American Heart Association)
Unsteadiness or a sudden fall, especially with any of the above signs. (from Health Canada ~ Symptoms of Stroke)
Anecdotally (based on or consisting of reports or observations of usually unscientific observers) another 'sign' of a stroke is a 'crooked' tongue, if when it is stuck out, it goes to one side or the other.
If you have any of these symptoms, you must get to a hospital quickly to begin treatment. Acute stroke therapies try to stop a stroke while it is happening by quickly dissolving the blood clot or by stopping the bleeding. Post-stroke rehabilitation helps individuals overcome disabilities that result from stroke damage. Drug therapy with blood thinners is the most common treatment for stroke.
Following also referenced to: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Start Here
Know Stroke: Know the Signs, Act in Time
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) ~ About the Campaign.Strokes
(Patient Education Institute) Also available in Spanish via MedLine Plus®What You Need to Know about Stroke
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) ” ~ Publicaciones en español
What can you do to prevent a stroke? - from US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
While family history of stroke plays a role in your risk, there are many risk factors you can control.
If you have high blood pressure, work with your doctor to get it under control. Many people do not realize they have high blood pressure, which usually produces no symptoms but is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Managing your high blood pressure is the most important thing you can do to avoid stroke.
If you smoke, quit.
If you have diabetes, learn how to manage it. As with high blood pressure, diabetes usually causes no symptoms but it increases the chance of stroke.
If you are overweight, start maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
WHY IS STROKE TREATMENT URGENT?
Every minute counts. The longer blood flow is cut off to the brain, the greater the damage. The most common kind of stroke, ischemic stroke, can be treated with a drug that dissolves clots blocking the blood flow. The window of opportunity to start treating stroke patients is three hours. But a person needs to be at the hospital within 60 minutes of having a stroke to be evaluated and receive treatment.
Where Can You Learn More About Stroke?
Talk to your doctor about your personal risk factors for having a stroke. In the US, for more information about stroke prevention and treatment, call the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at 1-800-352-9424.
TEST YOUR STROKE KNOWLEDGE! ~ NIH - National Institutes of Health ...
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
See also,
Cardiovascular disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia is the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels (arteries and veins).
Coronary disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia refers to the failure of coronary circulation to supply adequate circulation to cardiac muscle and surrounding tissue.
Heart disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of different diseases affecting the heart.
Stroke - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia may indicate underlying atherosclerosis (sometimes called a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is the rapidly developing loss of brain function(s) due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain, caused by a blocked or burst blood vessel.
Coronary heart disease - Simple English Wikipedia , also called coronary artery disease, is a progressive reduction of blood to the heart muscle because of the narrowing of the coronary artery.
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