ACUTE STROKE

The American Stroke Association says about 500,000 Americans per year suffer strokes. About one third of them die, and another 200,000 are disabled to some extent.

The underlying cause of a stroke may develop over a long period of time. These conditions may be dormant for many years before triggering an event that sends the patient to the emergency room. Strokes usually result from uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and excessive smoking and/or drinking alcohol. Strokes can be ischemic (lack of oxygen damages brain tissue) or hemorrhagic (where blood vessels in the brain burst). A “mini stroke,” or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a warning signal of impending stroke. TIA develops when blood flow is reduced temporarily to an area of the brain, often by a blood clot. Symptoms include blurred vision, slurred speech, behavior changes, and weakness or numbness to one side of the body. TIA symptoms usually last only minutes when blood flow resumes. Symptoms of TIA should always be treated as an emergency.

Often, symptoms of stroke may be very similar to other conditions, which can lead to a misdiagnosis by a hasty provider. As with any condition, if the patient’s history (risk factors) and symptoms are such that a prudent doctor would consider the possibility of a stroke, tests should be ordered to rule out stroke. If the appropriate tests are not ordered, and the stroke is not diagnosed, the impact on the patient can be catastrophic.

The failure to quickly recognize symptoms of a TIA or stroke may result in another, larger, stroke which causes permanent damage. Successful outcome depends upon prompt recognition and preventative steps. Stroke is the number 3 cause of death in the United States.