What is 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 seeing in one or both eyes

• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination

• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

What is a TIA?
TIA stands for Transient Ischemic Attack. A TIA causes a temporary loss of function, lasting a few minutes to several hours. For example, you may have weakness of an arm and/or a leg which goes away. Even though it goes away, a TIA is a serious warning sign of stroke and you should seek medical attention immediately.

How common is stroke?
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Stroke occurs more commonly in the older age groups, and is more common in people who have already had a stroke or TIA.

What is your chance of having a stroke?
The chance of stroke is increased by a number of things that are called stroke risk factors. Some factors cannot be changed. These include age (the older a person gets, the greater the risk for stroke), gender (men are at greater risk), and race (African-Americans have a higher risk for stroke), family history, and prior strokes or TIAs .

Other risk factors can be modified through treatment or lifestyle changes. Examples of these include: high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, smoking, lack of exercise and excessive alcohol intake.

What can you do to lower your risk of stroke?

• Have regular check-ups with your doctor to check for stroke risk factors.
• Take part in a stroke screening.
• If you have high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes, make sure it is treated.
• Have your cholesterol and lipid levels measured.
• Stop smoking.
• Become physically active.
• Limit your alcohol intake.

What do you do if you or someone you are with is having symptoms of a stroke?
Call 911 in order to have an ambulance take you to the hospital as quickly as possible. For many adults who sustain a stroke, intervention within a three-hour "golden window" can minimize most damage to the brain. Too often, however symptoms are not recognized soon enough.

A new drug, called tissue-Pasminogen Activator (or t-PA), can arrest the effects of stroke by dissolving clots that block vital blood flow to the brain. But it's only effective if it is administered within this three-hour "golden window" follwoing the onset of a stroke or TIA. In addition to t-PA, other therapires are available but must also be given within hours of the onset of stroke symptoms.