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Stroke Awareness
Author: | Sunday June 15, 2008
Stroke can hit anyone at anytime. Preventing stroke is the first line of defense. If you have a stroke, rehabilitation is key element in recovery.
Stroke: Risk, Prevention & Recovery
By Kim Maniscalco
According to the National Stroke Association, stroke is the third-leading cause of death and the No. 1 cause of long-term disability in the U.S. Because so many Americans are affected by stroke, it is important that survivors and their families know what causes stroke, how to prevent them and where to seek stroke-specific rehabilitation, if needed.
“Brain attack”
Stroke – also referred to as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) – impacts the brain and blood vessels. When blood flow to any part of the brain is interrupted, a stroke, or “brain attack,” occurs. An ischemic stroke involves a clot blocking blood flow to the brain, while a hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel ruptures, leaking blood into the brain. The severity of impairment from a stroke depends on the location of the interruption and the number of brain cells affected.
The symptoms of stroke occur suddenly and include severe headache; weakness or numbness in the face, arms or legs; as well as confusion or trouble speaking. Additionally, sudden trouble seeing (from one or both eyes), or trouble walking, standing, balancing or loss of coordination could indicate a stroke.
Risk and Prevention
Strokes most often affect those 65 and older, as well as people with a family history of stroke or heart disease. The American Heart Association says that in the decade after the age of 55, a person’s chance of stroke more than doubles. Strokes are more common among African-Americans, even at younger ages, than Caucasians. However, it is important to note that strokes affect people of all ages and ethnicities.
The primary risk factors of stroke – in addition to family history – include high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, atrial fibrillation, high cholesterol, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends controlling or eliminating as many of these risk factors as possible to reduce the risk of stroke. While these factors are not the only precursors to stroke, they are common among many stroke victims.
Surviving and Striving
Sadly, each year more than 160,000 people die from strokes in the U.S., and almost two-thirds of stroke survivors are left with some form of impairment. However, the National Stroke Association says that with proper care and rehabilitation, approximately 10 percent of stroke survivors are able to regain near-complete function, and another 25 percent recover with only minor impairments.
“The majority of recovery occurs during the first six-to-12 months after a stroke,” said Miguel Garcia, MSPT, and senior physical therapist at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Miami. “However, full recovery might become an ongoing process. It is our goal with all patients to allow them to regain their prior level of independence and thus regain their full quality of life.”
Stroke survivors should expect their rehabilitation to begin before they ever leave the hospital. Within two days, many patients begin physical, occupational and speech therapy to set them on the path to recovery. In some cases, a rehabilitation hospital is appropriate for patients who need more advanced, specialized care.
“The majority of our physical and occupational therapists undergo intensive training in stroke rehab and are certified in the Neuro-IFRAH® approach, which uses functional tasks to help patients regain movement that was lost as a result of the stroke,” said Garcia. “So rather than having patients lie on a mat and do monotonous exercises, we challenge them to use their affected side immediately. It is a whole-person approach that encourages the patient to resume and assume life roles.”
Family members and friends of stroke survivors must remember that patience is key. Providing support to the patient can help eliminate frustration and focus on recovery.
“I recommend that families be proactive in the rehab process,” said Garcia. “Research as much as possible and use the doctors and therapists as sources for learning what needs to be done to allow the patient to regain as much ‘normalcy’ as possible.”
For additional information on the benefits of inpatient rehabilitation following CVA/Stroke, contact Marla Fant at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Miami, at (305) 259-6404 marla.fant@healthsouth.com.
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