The immediate and accurate diagnosis of a stroke is crucial to patient recovery. Strokes can be fatal, claiming some 250,000 people in the US alone. Over 700,000 cases are reported each year, which means more than one stroke per minute, and a mortality rate of over 30%. Clearly, a stroke is not something you should take lightly.
Identifying and acting on the warning signs of a stroke is a sure shot way to prevent it, or to help the patient recover from it. The most obvious warning signs of a stroke include sudden weakness or numbness, particularly on just one side of the body (usually the left side where the heart is located). Stroke patients usually feel dizzy or lose their sense of co-ordination becoming jerky in movement. Sudden headaches, debilitating nausea, difficulty in constructing coherent sentences or even sudden vision loss are other warning signs of an impending stroke.
The sure shot way to cut down on your stroke risks is to lead a healthy lifestyle. Even if you are genetically disposed to getting a stroke, making a few lifestyle changes can go a long way to minimizing your risks. This includes eating healthy, cutting down or giving up drinking or smoking, exercising regularly, cutting down on fat and cholesterol in your diet, and getting regular check-ups done.
There are certain factors that increase your chances of getting a stroke. These include your age (older people are more likely to suffer from a stroke), your gender (women are more likely victims than men), your racial and genetic background (African-Americans and Hispanics are more likely to get a stroke than others), etc. Your doctor should help you identify any of these risk factors and work with you to minimize them.
It is important to know all the symptoms, risk factors and conditions that can lead to a stroke. Strokes are one of the biggest killers in across the world today and by educating yourself, you can do a lot to prevent its occurrence.
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