In honor of American Stroke Month, the American Stroke Association has published five keys about strokes as part of the Together to End Stroke initiative, which receives national sponsorship from Medtronic.
“Stroke is largely preventable and treatable,” Mary Ann Bauman, chair of the American Stroke Association Advisory Committee, said. “The best way to beat a stroke is to never have one -- about 80 percent of strokes are preventable. The second best way to beat a stroke is to identify one immediately when it occurs and call 911."
The first key is that anyone can have a stroke, even if victims don’t look like they have health risks. Typical stroke risk factors include high blood pressure. Strokes are more common for elderly, but there have been confirmed instances where teens, young adults, babies and children have had strokes.
The second key is the first warning sign of a stroke: high blood pressure. Approximately 80 million U.S. citizens have high blood pressure, and approximately half of them don’t have control of their blood pressure.
Third, stroke rates are higher among African Americans. Compared to whites, blacks are almost two times more likely to have a stroke. Blacks are also more likely to have a stroke when they are younger.
The fourth point is that strokes are usually treatable. Medical devices and clot-breaking drugs manage strokes. To be effective, most stroke patients must receive hospital care for evaluation and treatment between 3 and 4.5 hours after their first symptoms of a stroke.
Fifth, it is common for friends to save other friends from a stroke. Approximately two out of the three times a person has a stroke, a bystander calls 911 and helps them.
“Like the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association, Medtronic is committed to improving the lives of stroke patients,” Brett Wall, president of Brain Therapies, Medtronic, said. “Over the past three years, Together to End Stroke has helped boost stroke warning sign recognition, which leads to more people getting to treatment in time. We are happy to continue our support of this important initiative to raise awareness of stroke.”
