Signs of stroke

 

The ability to recognize stroke symptoms helps save lives.

Signs of a stroke in men: How to recognize a stroke and seek help

Are strokes common in men?

Every year, about 800,000 Americans have strokes. A stroke is an episode caused by a blood clot or ruptured blood vessel that causes blood flow to the brain to be interrupted. Resemble...... As many as 130,000 people die each year from stroke-related complications, such as pneumonia or thrombosis.

The CDC lists stroke as the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Studies have shown that men are more likely to have strokes, especially those who are African American, Alaskan Native, or Native American. But this is only a short-term risk. The lifetime risk for men is much lower than for women. Men are also less likely to die of a stroke.

The ability to recognize stroke symptoms helps save lives. If you think someone has had a stroke, call your local emergency services immediately. Every second counts.

Common stroke symptoms

For both men and women, stroke is characterized by the inability to speak or understand speech, nervous expressions, inability to move or feel a certain part of the body, and confusion. People who have suffered a stroke may also have difficulty speaking or understanding conversations. There are no male-specific stroke symptoms.

The six most common symptoms of stroke affect multiple parts of the body.

• Eyes: One or both eyes suddenly can't see clearly
• Face, arms, or legs: Sudden paralysis, weakness, or numbness, most likely on one side of the body
• Stomach: Vomiting or the urge to get sick
• Body: overall fatigue or difficulty breathing
• Head: Sudden, the severe headache of unknown origin
• Legs: Sudden dizziness, difficulty walking, or loss of balance or coordination

The exact symptoms depend on which area of the brain is affected. Strokes usually affect only the left or right side of the brain.

Researchers learned in 2003 to assess public awareness of the six most common stroke symptoms. Their survey found that women did a better job of correctly identifying signs of stroke than men, but only a few percentage points higher.

Risk factors

Both men and women have an increased risk of stroke in the following situations:

• Smoking
• Have high blood pressure, heart disease, atrial fibrillation, or diabetes
• Had a transient ischemic attack (a small stroke that may last a few minutes or hours)
• Abuse of drugs or alcohol
• Obesity
• Physically inactive

Another risk factor is living in a group of southeastern states known as the "stroke belt." Stroke mortality is significantly higher in these states:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Georgia
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Tennessee

Several factors contribute to this regional disparity, including a larger African-American population, fewer opportunities for primary stroke centers, and higher unemployment, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

What to do if you have a stroke

The National Stroke Association has developed an easy-to-remember strategy to identify stroke symptoms. If you think you or someone around you may have had a stroke, you should act quickly.

 

facemask	Ask the other person to smile. Do one side of their face sags?
weapons	Ask the person to raise his arms. One arm drifts down?
speeches	Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Are their speech vague or strange?
time if	If you notice any of these symptoms, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately.

 

Remember that every second counts when it comes to stroke. Treatment of stroke is most effective in the first few hours after the onset of the first symptoms. Don't wait to see if the symptoms go away.

The longer you wait for emergency assistance, the more likely it is that a stroke will cause brain damage or disability. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, take a closer look at your loved one.

Although you may want to do this, you should not drive yourself or your loved one to the hospital during a stroke. When you go to the emergency room, you may need to see a doctor. Instead, call your local emergency services immediately and wait for a paramedic to arrive. They are trained to treat and care for patients while rushing to the hospital.

After admission, the doctor will check the symptoms and medical history of your loved one. They will also undergo a physical examination and conduct diagnostic tests to determine if a stroke has occurred.

Treatment options for stroke

For ischemic stroke

About 85% of strokes are ischemic. This means that the blood clot cuts off the blood flow to the brain. Doctors will use a drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) to dissolve or break down clots. To be effective, the drug must be administered within four and a half hours after the onset of the first symptoms.
If for some reason tPA cannot be chosen, your doctor will give you a blood thinner or other medication to stop platelet clumps and clot formation.

Surgery and other invasive procedures are also options. Your doctor may perform intraarterial thrombolysis. During this procedure, the drug is delivered through a catheter inserted into the upper part of the thigh.

Another option is to remove the blood clot through a catheter, which reaches the affected artery in the brain. Catheters coil around tiny arteries in your brain to help clear blood clots. If you have plaque piling up in your neck arteries, your doctor may also recommend procedures to unclog those arteries.

For hemorrhagic stroke

This type of stroke occurs when an artery in the brain ruptures or leaks blood. Doctors treat hemorrhagic stroke differently than they treat ischemic stroke. They also treat stroke differently depending on the cause.

• cause
• treat
• hypertension
• Your doctor may give you medication to lower your blood pressure to reduce bleeding.
• aneurysm
• Your doctor may recommend surgery to pinch the aneurysm or block blood flow to the aneurysm through coil embolism.
• Ruptured defective arteries and veins

Your doctor may recommend arteriovenous malformation repair to prevent further bleeding.

summary

In general, men who survive a stroke recover faster and are in better health than women. Men are also less likely to experience:

• stroke-related disabilities
• Impaired activities of daily living
• Frustrated
• Fatigue
• Mental disorders
• Poor quality of life after stroke

Studies have shown that this may be due to physical activity and depressive symptoms before the stroke.

It may take a lot of effort to recover after a stroke. Rehabilitation does not reverse brain damage, but it can help you relearn skills that you may have lost. This includes learning to walk or learning to speak.

The time it takes to recover depends on the severity of the stroke. While some people may take months to recover, others may require years of treatment. People with paralysis or motor control problems may require long-term hospitalization.

Still, if stroke patients stick to recovery and stick to a healthy lifestyle, future strokes can be prevented and they can live long and fulfilling lives.

Prevent future strokes

You must prevent or treat diseases that put you at higher risk of strokes, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.