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Stroke education

A stroke or "brain attack" occurs when:

Suddenly, a blood clot blocks blood flow in the brain or a blood vessel ruptures in the brain blocking blood flow to that area of the brain. When blood flow is decreased, brain cells immediate begin to die because the brain cannot get enough oxygen.

When brain cells die during a stroke, abilities controlled by that area of the brain are lost. These abilities include sensation, movement, speech, vision, loss of balance and memory.  How a stroke patient is affected depends on where the stroke occurs in the brain and how much the brain is damaged due to lack of oxygen.

Stroke facts

Someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds.
Every 4 minutes someone dies of stroke.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.

Links for further information

American Stroke Association

Signs of stroke

  • Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
  • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
  • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
  • Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

A stroke can happen to anyone, but certain factors can increase your risk of stroke.  If changes are made to the following lifestyle risks below, the risk of stroke can be decreased:

Risks that increase chances of Stroke:

  • High blood pressure
  • Atrial fibrillation
  • High cholesterol
  • Diabetes
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Circulation problems
  • Tobacco use and smoking
  • Alcohol use
  • Physical inactivity
  • Obesity

Call 9-1-1 immediately if you or someone else has any of these symptoms.

Signs of stroke GFAST

  • Gaze abnormalities – Sudden trouble seeing in one our both eyes
  • Facial droop – Sudden weakness, numbness one side of face
  • Arm drift – Sudden weakness, numbness in arm/leg one side of body
  • Speech abnormalities – Sudden trouble speaking or understanding speech
  • Time - Note time last seen normal or well