May is for Mothers and more - Parish Nurse - May 2008

There are many reasons to celebrate in May. The flowers and trees are blooming creating beautiful scenery. Isn't God amazing? Just take a moment and enjoy the beauty that He created. May is also National Stroke Awareness Month, Older Adults Month and then there's Mother's Day and Nurse's Day. So where do we begin for this month's newsletter article? Let's start with Mother's Day, when we honor our mothers. When it came to your health, what did your mother tell you? Probably things like button your coat, wash your hands, eat your vegetables. So what would your mother say about preventing stroke? Since women are uniquely impacted (even though a stroke can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender or race), let's take a closer look at stroke, or what is now being called a "brain attack".

We have learned so much more about stroke and stroke prevention since my mother's era. There are actually new procedures and drugs to help reverse the effects of a stroke. We now know that stroke is an emergency-similar to someone having a heart attack; we can't ignore the signs of a stroke. A stroke, or "brain attack," occurs when blood and oxygen flow to the brain is interrupted by a blood clot or a broken blood vessel. This kills brain cells in the immediate area, often causing physical and emotional disabilities including speech problems, memory loss and weakness or inability to use one or more limbs. As the National Stroke Association says: every 45 seconds, someone in the United States experiences a stroke. Yet, despite being the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in this country, fewer than one in five Americans can recognize a symptom of a stroke. In addition, some people still believe that this condition is simply a "stroke of fate," not realizing that stroke is preventable and treatable.

This month, the National Stroke Association and I am urging you to take charge of your health by knowing the signs and symptoms of a stroke, asking your doctor about stroke prevention and adopting healthier lifestyle habits. In addition to high blood pressure, there are several things that can contribute or increase a person's risk for stroke including elevated cholesterol levels, diabetes, smoking, obesity and family history. Women have additional risk factors to consider such as pregnancy and hormone replacement therapy, all of which can increase stroke risk. High blood pressure is the number one cause of stroke. Nearly 60 million Americans - 29 million women - have high blood pressure, and almost a third do not even know it. So get your blood pressure checked whenever you have the chance; it's a free service offered by the parish nurse ministry that only a handful of you take advantage of. Remember high blood pressure does not always cause symptoms initially but that doesn't mean damage isn't being done.

Another risk factor for stroke and a call to prevention is a TIA, transient ischemic attack; some people call it a "mini-stroke". This is a "warning stroke" that produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage. Recognizing and treating TIAs can reduce your risk of a major stroke.
Stroke is one of the most preventable of all life-threatening health problems, provided that you pay proper attention to lifestyle and medical risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. Furthermore, treatment exists to help minimize the effects of a stroke, however some of them must be given within 3 hours of onset of symptoms. So it is important for people to be able to recognize the symptoms of stroke and seek emergency medical attention. It's easy if you learn to
Act F.A.S.T.

F = Face Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A = Arm Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S = Speech Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Does the speech sound slurred or strange?
T = Time If you observe any of these signs, then it's time to call 9-1-1.

Studies show that stroke patients who arrive at the hospital by ambulance receive quicker treatment than those that arrive by their own means. Faster and earlier treatment can mean better outcomes. There are numerous hospitals across the country that have been certified as stroke centers, and specialize in the treatment of stroke. This designation goes to hospitals that make exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes for stroke care, and whose quality of care is effectively managed to meet the unique and specialized needs of stroke patients.
But the good news is that stroke is one of the most preventable of all life-threatening health problems, provided you pay proper attention to lifestyle and controlling or eliminating medical risk factors.
For more information on stroke and stroke prevention, call 1-800-STROKES or visit these websites:
www.stroke.org or www.americanheart.org

See you at the next blood pressure screening!

Leah