Recognizing these 5 "sudden
symptoms" could save a life - even a young life
Stroke
is no longer a disease only of the elderly.
Nearly 20 percent of strokes occur in people younger than age 55, and
over the past decade, the average age at stroke occurrence has dropped from 71
to 69.
Patrick
D. Lyden, MD, chair of Neurology and director of the Stroke Program at
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, advised that quickly recognizing the signs of
stroke and seeking immediate medical care from stroke specialists can minimize
the effects of the disease or even save a life.
And
just as important as knowing the symptoms is the knowledge that regardless of
an individual’s age, those symptoms need to be treated as the emergency that
they are.
If
you see any one of these "Five Sudden, Severe Symptoms," call 911 –
regardless of the victim’s age.
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face,
arm or leg on one side of the body.
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or
understanding.
Sudden trouble seeing on one side.
Sudden, severe difficulty walking,
dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
Sudden, severe headache with no known
cause.
It
is important to emphasize the words "sudden" and "severe"
and the number "one." Any of these symptoms can occur in a mild,
fleeting way and not be worrisome, but if any one of them comes on suddenly and
is quite severe, it could signal the onset of a stroke, which increasingly is
described as a "brain attack," because like a heart attack, a stroke
requires immediate action to improve the odds against disability and death.
Time is brain
The
National Stroke Association estimates that two-thirds of stroke survivors have
some disability.
"Clot-busting"
drugs make it possible in some cases to stop a stroke in progress and even
reverse damage. But the crucial element is time. If given within three hours of
onset, the drugs improve outcomes by about 30 percent.
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The
above story is based the April 30, 2013 news release Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
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