Know The Symptoms Of A Stroke And What To Do

When you know the symptoms of a stroke in men and women, you can act fast to get treatment if you or someone else might be having a stroke.

What Is A Stroke?

A stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. Strokes occur when blood flow to a part of the brain is cut off or drastically reduced, causing brain cells to die. If a stroke isn't caught early, it can cause permanent brain damage or death.

"A stroke can lead to permanent, disabling deficits and even death in severe cases," said Meredith Cousin, MD, an independent neurologist who chooses to practice at Franciscan Health Indianapolis. "If acted on within a certain time frame, medications and interventions can prevent these."

What Are The Different Types Of Strokes?

There are three types of strokes. The type you have affects your treatment and recovery. The CDC describes the three different strokes in detail.

Ischemic Stroke

Most strokes (87%) are ischemic strokes. In the same way a blocked blood flow to the heart causes a heart attack, blocked blood flow to the brain causes an ischemic stroke. Blood clots often cause blockages.

Blood clotsare often the primary cause of blockage that lead to ischemic strokes.

“There are many ways in which this can happen, but one of the more common ways is there would be plaque rupture, said Faheem Ahmad, MD, a Crown Point cardiologist at Franciscan Physician Network Cardiology Crown Point. “Just like a heart attack, a stroke can be regarded as being a brain attack. And sort of the way that happens is very similar, in that if it happens in the heart, plaque breaks open. And to try and repair that plaque, a clot develops over the area of the plaque which has broken open and of course while that solved the problem of the plaque not breaking open further, it decreases any blood flow or impedes any blood flow through that region. If that were to happen in the heart that's a heart attack, and of course if that happens in the brain, that's a stroke.”

Hemorrhagic Stroke

Active bleeding into the brain is a hemorrhagic stroke, often called a "massive stroke."

This can be caused by a ruptured blood vessels, uncontrolled blood pressure, or trauma to the brain itself.  Sometimes taking blood thinning medications for previous strokes and/or cardiac issues can increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

High blood pressure and aneurysms - balloon-like bulges in an artery that can stretch and burst - can cause a hemorrhagic stroke.

There are two types of hemorrhagic strokes:

• Intracerebral hemorrhage, the most common type, occurs when an artery in the brain bursts, flooding the surrounding tissue with blood.
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage is less common and occurs when there's bleeding between the brain and the thin tissues that cover it.

Transient Ischemic Attack

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is sometimes called a "mini-stroke." A TIA is different from the major types of stroke because blood flow to the brain is blocked for only a short time, so that no permanent damage to the brain occurs. A TIA is treated and worked up just like a stroke to minimize recurrence of the TIA and/or future stroke.

Blood clots often cause a TIA, but the blood flow to the brain gets blocked for a short time - usually no more than 5 minutes. A TIA is a warning sign of a future stroke and is a medical emergency, just like a major stroke.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Stroke In Men And Women?

The common signs and symptoms of a stroke in men and women include:

• Numbness on one side of the body, especially in the face, arm or leg
• Loss of vision in one or both eyes
• Trouble speaking or understanding what others are saying
• Sudden, severe headache
• Imbalance and trouble walking

Women Can Have Other Stroke Symptoms, Too

Along with the common symptoms, stroke symptoms for women can also include:

• Extreme fatigue
• Hiccups
• Nausea
• Racing heart rate
• Sudden pain in the face, arm or leg

How Can I Remember Signs Of A Stroke?

BE FAST

The acronym BE FAST can help you remember the signs of a stroke and what to do if you think a stroke has happened. The most important thing to do is immediately call 911 for emergency assistance.

BE FAST stands for:

• B - Balance: Does the person complain of dizziness or have sudden altered or unsteady gait?
• E - Eyes: Does the person have a sudden loss or change in vision?
• F - Face: Ask the person to smile. Check to see if one side of the face droops.
• A - Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. See if one arm drifts downward.
• S - Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Check to see if words are slurred and if the sentence is repeated correctly.
  
• T - Time: If a person shows any of these symptoms, time is essential. It is important to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. Call 911. BE FAST.

R.Á.P.I.D.O. for recognizing signs of stroke (Spanish)

The American Stroke Association is promoting the acronym R.Á.P.I.D.O. as a way to raise awareness among Hispanic Americans about stroke symptoms and the need for quick action. Increasing awareness is of particular importance in the Hispanic community, which has higher risk of stroke due to unmanaged risk factors, limited access to health care, lower health literacy, cultural and economic barriers.

R.Á.P.I.D.O. stands for:

• Rostro caído, which is face drooping
• Alteración del equilibrio, loss of balance, or lack of coordination
• Pérdida de fuerza en el brazo, arm weakness
• Impedimento visual repentino, sudden vision difficulty
• Dificultad para hablar, slurred or strange speech
• Obtén ayuda, llama al 911, get help, call 911.

For more Spanish-language resources about R.Á.P.I.D.O. and stroke awareness, visit derramecerebral.org or stroke.org/rapido.

What Should You Do If Someone Has Stroke Symptoms?

Symptoms of strokes are serious and time-dependent. Don't second-guess if you or someone else has symptoms; call 911 and get emergency help immediately. The sooner you get care, the better your chance of recovery.

"There are medications that can be given if you present to the ER within a four and a half hour window," Dr. Cousin said. "They're meant to bust up big, artery-type clots. So, that's where that timeframe comes from, is all the studies that have shown that if you get there within a four and a half hour window, we can give that medication pretty quickly."

While awaiting the ambulance, it's suggested to gather the patient's medication list and previous medical history, especially any blood thinners. Have a good contact number to give to EMS in case the emergency room physician needs to contact you for additional information before you arrive. EMS will also want to know the time the patient was last seen in a normal condition.