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Learn More about Stroke

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	IN THIS SECTION Stroke Home Stroke Symptoms Who's at Risk? Stroke Treatment at AtlantiCare Learn More About Stroke Tip of the Week (5/10/2010) Know Stroke Symptoms and Act F.A.S.T. Stroke strikes F.A.S.T. and you should, too! Many people don't know that if you can recognize the symptoms of a stroke you can save not only your life, but maybe the life of someone else. Being able to recognize symptoms and to understand that they signal an emergency will enable you to seek medical attention quickly. Treatment exists to minimize the effects of stroke; however it must be given within 3 hours of the first symptom. It is easy to recognize stroke symptoms by learning to act F.A.S.T. and calling 9-1-1. F=Face - Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? A=Arms - Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? S=Speech - Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? T=Time - If you observe any of these signs, then it's time to call 9-1-1.

Stroke

STROKE IS AN EMERGENCY

Every 45 seconds, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke, the leading cause of disability in adults – especially older adults.

What is a Stroke?

Simply defined, a stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or severely reduced, depriving your brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients.

There are two types of strokes:

Ischemic: The major cause (87 percent) is a blocked brain artery resulting in an insufficient supply of blood to part of the brain.
Hemorrhagic: The lesser cause (13 percent) is the rupture of a brain artery bleeding into or around the brain.

It’s estimated that 700,000 people suffer from stroke every year. About 500,000 are first occurrences; 200,000 are repeat strokes.

Getting immediate medical care is critical. It can mean the difference between complete recovery and a lifetime of serious disability.

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