HOUSTON – May is Stroke Awareness Month, and stroke is the nation’s fifth-leading cause of death, and is a leading cause of adult disability -- so getting the right treatment as quickly as possible is critical.
According to the National Institutes of Health, stroke in younger adults now accounts for about 10% of new cases of stroke each year globally.
But what are some of the warning signs, risk factors and steps to take if someone is having a stroke?
Just remember to “B.E. F.A.S.T.”
BALANCE: Is there a sudden loss of balance?
EYES: Is there sudden double or blurred vision or vision loss?
FACE: Ask the person to smile. Is one side drooping?
ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one side drift downward?
SPEECH: Does the person have difficulty speaking, slurred/garbled speech? TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately and note time symptoms began.
Treatment: Treatment options can include thrombolytic therapy like TNK for patients with ischemic stroke or endovascular therapy where tiny catheters are thread into the arteries of the brain to extract the clots causing strokes.
Watch as Tessa and Lauren chat with Dr. Jennifer Harris - a Vascular Neurologist affiliated with Memorial Hermann all about what you should look out for, and when to see your doctor.
To learn more about stroke awareness, visit memorialhermann.org/stroke-hl.