Stoke and Seniors: What you should know

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 Each year in the United States, there are more than 700,000 new strokes. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the country, after heart disease and cancer. And stroke causes more serious long-term disabilities than any other disease. Nearly three-quarters of all strokes occur in people over the age of 65. And the risk of having a stroke more than doubles each decade after the age of 55.

A stroke is serious, just like a heart attack. A stroke is sometimes called a “brain attack.” Most often, stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain stops because it is blocked by a clot. When this happens, the brain cells in the immediate area begin to die.
Some brain cells die because they stop getting the oxygen and nutrients they need to function. Other brain cells die because they are damaged by sudden bleeding into or around the brain. The brain cells that don’t die immediately remain at risk for death. These cells can linger in a compromised or weakened state for several hours. With timely treatment, these cells can be saved.
New treatments are available that greatly reduce the damage caused by a stroke. But you need to arrive at the hospital as soon as possible after symptoms start to prevent disability. Knowing stroke symptoms, calling 911 immediately, and getting to a hospital as quickly as possible are critical.

There are two kinds of stroke. The most common kind of stroke is called ischemic stroke. It accounts for approximately 80 percent of all strokes. An ischemic stroke is caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain.

Blockages that cause ischemic strokes stem from three conditions:

• The formation of a clot within a blood vessel of the brain or neck, called thrombosis
• The movement of a clot from another part of the body, such as from the heart to the neck or brain, called an embolism
• A severe narrowing of an artery in or leading to the brain, called stenosis

The other kind of stroke is called hemorrhagic stroke. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a blood vessel that breaks and bleeds into the brain.

One common cause of a hemorrhagic stroke is a bleeding aneurysm. An aneurysm is a weak or thin spot on an artery wall. Over time, these weak spots stretch or balloon out due to high blood pressure. The thin walls of these ballooning aneurysms can rupture and spill blood into the space surrounding brain cells.
Artery walls can also break open because they become encrusted, or covered with fatty deposits called plaque, eventually lose their elasticity and become brittle, thin, and prone to cracking. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, increases the risk that a brittle artery wall will give way and release blood into the surrounding brain tissue.

Warning Signs

If you suffer a stroke, you may not realize it at first. The people around you might not know it, either. Your family, friends, or neighbors may think you are unaware or confused. You may not be able to call 911 on your own. That’s why everyone should know the signs of stroke and know how to act fast. These are warning signs of a stroke:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Other danger signs that may occur include double vision, drowsiness, and nausea or vomiting. Sometimes the warning signs may last only a few moments and then disappear. These brief episodes, known as transient ischemic attacks, or TIAs, are sometimes called “mini-strokes.”

Although brief, TIAs identify an underlying serious condition that isn’t going away without medical help. Unfortunately, since they clear up, many people ignore them. Don’t ignore them. Heeding them can save your life.

What should you do? Don’t wait for the symptoms to improve or worsen. If you believe you are having a stroke or someone you know is having a stroke, call 911 immediately. Making the decision to call for medical help can make the difference in avoiding a lifelong disability.