Facts about Stroke
A serious warning signal of stroke is TIA-transient ischemic attack. A TIA
shares similar symptoms to a stroke, but lasts for a shorter time.
A recent survey conducted by Rope Starch worldwide and sponsored by the NSA, indicates that 2.5 percent of all adults age 18 or over (4.9 million) have been diagnosed with TIAs. Of those adults 65 and older, 8.5 percent (2.5 million) have been diagnosed with TIAs.
Eight percent of Americans have experienced one or more symptoms common to TIA, but have never been evaluated by a physician for these episodes.
Risk of stroke can be reduced by keeping blood pressure in normal range;
having your pulse checked twice a year for irregularities; avoiding excess
weight; avoiding smoking and excessive use of alcohol.
Classic symptoms of TIA or stroke include the sudden onset of any of the
following: numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of
the body; confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding; trouble seeing in one
or both eyes; difficulty walking including dizziness and loss of balance or
coordination; severe headaches with no apparent cause.
If any of these symptoms are evident, immediate medical attention should be sought, even if symptoms disappear quickly.
When a stroke occurs, time is critical. Damage may continue to build for hours after an initial stroke, so the quicker a stroke victim receives treatment, the greater his or her chances are for recovery.
| Southwest Regional Rehabilitation Center 393 E. Roosevelt Battle Creek, Michigan 49017 269.965.3206
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