SNF Brain Stroke Samachar-442

[SN Foundation]

Fast Thinking Saves Lives From Stroke
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Courtesy: ABC News, Jun 19, 2013
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By Brian Lau, M.D
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Doctors have long known that the sooner a stroke is treated, the
better the outcome. But now a new study finds just how much each
minute counts.

For each 15-minute head start doctors get on treating stroke, they cut
the risk of stroke symptoms and death by 4 percent, according to the
study of more than 58,300 ischemic stroke patients published Tuesday
in the Journal of the American Medical Association. What’s more,
every
15 minutes also improves how you leave the hospital, with a 4 percent
increased likelihood of walking out and a 3 percent increased chance
of heading home instead of going to a rehab center or nursing home.

Pediatric Stroke Often Misdiagnosed, Treatment Delayed
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A stroke is a major reduction in the normal flow of blood to the
brain. A person dies from stroke every four minutes in the U.S.,
according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention —
that’s almost 130,000 Americans each year, making strokes one of the
leading causes of death in the country. More than half of stroke
survivors age 65 and older lose the ability to walk.

This new study is 30 times larger than the latest trials that
evaluated stroke treatment, factoring in data from nearly 1,400
hospitals — and not only large academic hospitals but community
medical centers as well. In other words, these findings are more
likely to be what the average

American experiences.
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Arizona Twins Suffer Strokes at 26, Only Months Apart
Study author Dr. Jeffrey Saver, director of UCLA’s Comprehensive
Stroke Center, said it’s important to know that strokes are a
treatable disease.

“Every minute that goes by without treatment, 2 million additional
neurons are lost,” Saver said in an email. “The demonstration of a
substantial impact of even 15 minutes delay in starting treatment
emphasizes the importance of the fastest possible evaluation and
treatment of acute stroke patients.”

Stroke experts emphasize that it is important to act FAST to receive
appropriate medical help.
“FAST, stands for the need to act quickly if there are problems with
Face, Arm or Speech function and not to waste any Time doing so,”
said
Dr. Lee Schwamm, co-author of the study and vice chairman of neurology
at Harvard Medical School.

Doctors Take:
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Every minute counts. Recognize the symptoms of a stroke and get help
as soon as possible. Every 15 minutes saved improves the chances
you’ll have a better outcome.
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Tips
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with diet and exercise, and cutting
smoking can prevent a stroke. If you have diabetes, be sure to take
your medications and control your blood sugars;
• Think FAST — the American Heart Association’s acronym for the
warning signs of stroke:
F — Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask
the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
A — Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise
both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S — Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to
speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple
sentence, like “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
T — Time to call 911 – If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if
the symptoms go away, call 911 and get the person to the hospital
immediately. Check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms
appeared.