Patients who receive treatment within three hours of their first symptoms often have less disability after a stroke than those who received delayed care.
Strokes are the leading cause of long-term disability in the United States and the fifth-leading cause of death. Even more startling is that the stroke rate has gone up among young and middle-aged Americans over the last 30 years. Over 30% of strokes occur in people under the age of 65, and 10% affect those under 50 years old.
Unfortunately, residents of our RCAHD communities experience higher rates of hospitalizations for asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke (according to 2020 Virginia hospital admissions data) compared to the rest of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
A stroke, or brain attack, happens when blood flow to your brain is blocked by a clot or a blood vessel bursts in your brain. The brain needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients. Without them, brain cells begin to die after just a few minutes. For this reason, it is an emergency if blood supply to the brain is stopped, even for a short time. Knowing the signs of a stroke and getting immediate medical attention immediately can save lives.
Anyone can have a stroke at any age. But your chance of having a stroke increases if you are older and have certain risk factors. Some risk factors for stroke can be changed or managed, while others, such as family history can’t.
Like most health conditions, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the easiest way to reduce your risk of stroke:
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If you smoke, quit. Smoking doubles the risk of stroke. The great news is that the risk begins to decrease as soon as you quit and can fall to that of a non-smoker after two-to-five years. Call or visit 1-800-QUIT-NOW for free support for yourself or a loved one.
- Know your numbers: blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Do what you can to keep these levels within normal range.
