When it comes to the treatment of a stroke patient timing is key. The longer the brain cells go without oxygen the more severe the damage will be. The only approved treatment used on stroke patients is tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), which works to dissolve the clot causing the ischemic stroke. This treatment is extremely time-sensitive, so it is extremely important to know the risk factors and warning signs of a stroke.
An ischemic stroke is more likely to occur in someone over the age of 55, it is also more likely to occur in men. African Americans are more likely to experience a stroke due to sickle cell anemia, which can narrow arteries. All of these risk factors are uncontrollable, however just like many other diseases, there are certain life style factors that can be controlled to reduce your risk. One of the biggest controllable risk factors is hypertension; this can be treated through diet, exercise and medication if needed. Quitting smoking can reduce your risk because atherosclerosis is seen in the carotid artery of many smokers. Other treatable risk factors include; diabetes, high cholesterol, physical inactivity and obesity.
Once the aforementioned risk factors have been assessed its important to have the ability to recognize the symptoms of an ischemic attack. On Monday an article was discussed that mentioned transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) or mini strokes, these events can consist of numbness, dizziness, fatigue or a short-lived intense headache. These mild ischemic events can appear suddenly and are highly indicative of a stroke. Other stroke symptoms include; weakness on one side of the face or body, slurred speech, trouble understanding and difficulty hearing. It is important to note that these symptoms will appear very suddenly. The knowledge of your risk factors combined with the ability to recognize the signs of a stroke will increase your chances of receiving proper treatment and therefore minimize damage to the brain.
I definitely think that this is one of the biggest reasons that research in this particular area of medicine - that of stroke treatment and prevention is so important...because currently our treatment options are very limited, and the whole process of treatment and diagnosis is so time sensitive. The window of opportunity for treating a stroke is less than three hours, so that certainly makes it very difficult to treat. I think its great that you posted this because I think it's really important for people to know the risk factors and the symptoms of stroke so that they are able to go into the hospital on time. But I also think that all of the research that we read about and that is currently being conducted is also crucial, because finding a way to better treat stroke or to elongate the window of opportunity for treatment would save so many lives.
ReplyDeleteI agree that time is key to the treatment of a stroke. The longer you wait the more the brain is robbed of oxygen rich blood. Just to add to Kelsey's post tPa's are a type of thrombolytic. Like Kelsey stated they are utilized to break down the clot. tPA stands for tissue plasminogen activator. So far this type of treatment has been most successful in treating the different types of stroke. tPA's are administered to the patient through IV.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, more research needs to be conducted for further treatment options to be discovered. With more options, the patient and care givers are no longer restricted to an IV. "Oh no I need an IV stat!". In a perfect world, the treatment could be administered orally in the form of a pill. Maybe one day research will go this far.
Sources:
http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=treatment
First off, Why at this point is t-PA the only approved treatment for stroke patients? Have other treatments and therapies been tried unsuccessfully? What about t-PA makes it successful while other treatments fail? I agree with the previous poster that time and awareness are the key factors needed for treatment of strokes and TIA's. This includes awareness of ones own lifestyle, but also ones family history. Many of these symptoms of stroke can be found in a detailed family history, if the time is taken to do some research. Still, many people are oblivious to the fact that there is a hereditary nature to strokes and not just environmental and dietary factors. With that said, I believe the number one thing people can do to lower the probability of stroke is to decrease stress levels and increase exercise and healthy eating. This pro-active type of response is what is needed to dramatically lessen ones chances of having a stroke or TIA.
ReplyDeleteAs a side note, TIA's are very strange to see happen live. As an ex EMT, I was always amazed how someone could be severely struggling with speech or motor function one minute and be mostly fine once the TIA dislodged itself and allowed for blood to re enter the affected area. The quick recovery time is almost as startling as the quick onset on attack.