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Strokes are the leading cause of adult disabilities in the United States. This year over 700,000 Americans will suffer a stroke and 15-30% will be left with a disability. The American Heart Association says most people do not recognize that they are having a stroke, nor do they act quickly enough to lessen the resulting disability.
Current stroke treatment can dissolve clots and limit brain damage if treated within the first three hours. Yet less than 24% of stroke victims get to the hospital in time. To increase the chances of someone around you making it in time, you must learn to recognize the signs of a potential stroke. According to the American Stroke Association (a division of the American Heart Association), symptoms of a stroke may include: - sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- sudden, severe headache with no known cause
Call 911, request an ambulance or drive the victim to the hospital. People arriving by ambulance at the hospital are more likely to receive a timely CT scan indicating the stroke and immediate treatment.
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