Stroke

Because prompt emergency medical treatment is essential to minimizing stroke damage, it’s important to recognize the warning signs and act immediately for patients to access the treatment they need. A stroke can result in paralysis or weakness, cognitive problems, emotional control problems, and depression, but prompt treatment can improve recovery. Dr. James Grotta explained the importance of seeking help as soon as possible after recognizing stroke signs, and provided the following acronym to help individuals identify signs of stroke in themselves, their loved ones, or anyone close by.

BE-FAST

Balance – Sudden dizziness or loss of balance and coordination

Eyes – Difficulty seeing

Face – One side of their face is drooping

Arm – Can’t lift their arm or are experiencing weakness or numbness in the arm or leg, especially on one side of the body

Speech – They have slurred speech or are unable to talk

Time – React right away and call 911

Other symptoms and warning signs of stroke include confusion, dizziness or vertigo, severe headache, or trouble speaking, seeing, or walking.

Stroke can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms can mimic those of other conditions. However, prompt diagnosis is important as many treatments must be administered within hours of symptom onset to reduce lasting damage. CT scans are often effective in diagnosing hemorrhagic strokes. Current research is being done to identify panels of blood proteins, or biomarkers, that indicate an ischemic stroke, in hopes that a blood test could be used for future diagnosis.

There are three treatment stages for stroke: prevention, therapy during an acute attack and post-stroke rehabilitation.

The best treatment for stroke is prevention, including treating underlying risk factors. Two main ways to prevent stroke are through medication and lifestyle changes like starting a healthier diet and exercise routine. If you’re using a blood pressure or anticoagulant medication, it’s important to take it consistently and not to let your prescriptions lapse.

Therapy during an acute attack involves dissolving the blood clot in the case of an ischemic stroke or controlling the bleeding during a hemorrhagic stroke. Catheter- or IV-based treatments or minimally invasive surgeries may also aid in recovery.

Recovery often depends on how quickly patients are treated and how much brain damage occurred. Post-stroke rehabilitation may include physical therapy, range-of-motion and stretching exercises, therapy to relearn skills like walking and eating, an exercise regimen, and counseling to treat psychological effects. Experts believe early intensive rehabilitation boosts a patient’s chances of restoring function. Through the process of neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire functions from damaged parts of the brain to healthy areas—patients can build new pathways in the brain and improve their recovery.