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Focus on Stroke

Every year, 700,000 new or recurring strokes happen in the U.S., with one stroke happening every 45 seconds. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the nation and is also a major cause of long-term disability.

Two Basic Types

There are two basic types of stroke: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. An ischemic stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is reduced or interrupted and tissue death occurs in the region served by the blocked vessel. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel ruptures and blood leaks into the brain structure.

Both types of stroke can result in disability that ranges from mild to severe paralysis to cognitive and speech problems to difficulty performing everyday activities.

Risk Factors for Stroke

There are several factors that increase your risk of having a stroke.

Modifiable:

• Hypertension
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes mellitus
• Alcohol intake
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Obesity and increased abdominal fat
• Atrial fibrillation

Nonmodifiable:

• Age
• Gender
• Race and ethnicity
• Family history

Get with the Guidelines

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a ministroke that occurs when blood supply to part of the brain is briefly interrupted. A TIA is often a warning sign of an impending stroke. About 15 percent of strokes happen within 90 days after a TIA. For this reason, improving treatments and outcomes for stroke patients is crucial.

The American Stroke Association and the American Heart Association developed the Get with the Guidelines^SM (GWTG) program to do just that.

This initiative is a part of the American Stroke Treatment program and helps health care facilities ensure continuous quality improvement of stroke treatment by aligning clinical care with evidence-based practice guidelines.

GWTG focuses on ensuring that stroke patients receive quick diagnosis and treatment. Faith Regional Health Services is a participant in the program.

As a GWTG-Stroke participating hospital, Faith Regional Health Services is involved in continuing efforts toward better diagnosis and treatment of stroke.

Check it out

Test your knowledge about stroke by taking our Stroke Quiz. Just visit www.frhs.org and select the Discovery Hospital icon. Choose “Health Risk Assessments” under “Health Tools.”