May is National Stroke Awareness Month – Risk Modification and Technology Crucial to Prevention

Stroke does not discriminate; It can affect anyone, anytime, anywhere – all races – babies and older adults – you and me – celebrities. With 795,000 stroke cases a year in the US, chances are you know someone who has suffered a stroke: a loved one, a friend, a neighbor, a colleague, or your favorite celebrity. Some risk factors are controllable and, if changed, will result in a significant decrease in the incidence of stroke according to the Dr. Jeffrey Thomas Stroke Shield Foundation (SSF). SSF is promoting the message Anti-stroke technology this May in recognition of National Stroke Awareness Month.

Celebrity Stroke Connection

Dick Clark, Bob Barker, Candice Bergen, Peter Boyle, Tedy Bruschi, James Cagney, Charlie Daniels, Kirk Douglas, James Garner, Hugh Hefner, Burt Lancaster, and Samantha Morton are among the famous people who survived a stroke. Joe Biden, Terri Garr, Quincy Jones, Bret Michaels, Patricia Neal, Della Reese, Sharon Stone, and Neil Young survived a brain aneurysm or hemorrhagic stroke.

“While age, race, and family history cannot be changed, most risk factors for stroke can be changed or treated medically. Many risk factors for stroke increase the likelihood of developing a number of other serious diseases. such as cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes, adding to the severe socioeconomic and personal health burden on society, “said Jeffrey E. Thomas, MD, FAANS, FACS, Founder and President of the SSF.

Anti-stroke technology

“Great strides have been made in minimally invasive treatment of stroke using endovascular interventions, but little progress has been made in prevention,” said Dr. Thomas. Scalable digital technologies using iPhone and other platforms need to be developed and made widely accessible / affordable to help prevent stroke. The applications would incorporate technology to enable analysis and continuous modification of stroke risk factors in high-risk people. Ultimately, SSF aims to minimize the need for emergency intervention through its grant program that will fund awards to researchers working on promising and cutting-edge stroke prevention modalities.

Symptoms of stroke

The range and severity of early stroke symptoms vary considerably, but they share the common characteristic of being sudden. Warning signs may include some or all of the following symptoms: dizziness, nausea, or vomiting; unusually severe headache; confusion, disorientation, or memory loss; numbness, weakness in an arm, leg, or face, especially on one side; slurred or abnormal speech; difficulty of understanding; vision loss or trouble seeing; and loss of balance, coordination, or the ability to walk.

Controllable risk factors for stroke

Diabetes: The disease affects 25.8 million people of all ages or 8.3 percent of the United States population. Of these, a staggering 7 million cases go undiagnosed and therefore untreated, generating a host of health implications. While type 1 diabetes (juvenile or early-onset in adulthood) cannot be prevented, studies estimate that between 58% and 71% of type 2 diabetes can be prevented through lifestyle interventions.

Obesity: More than a third of American adults (35.7 percent) and approximately 17 percent of children / adolescents ages 2 to 19 are obese, equivalent to about 86 million obese people according to population estimates from the 2011 U.S. Census.

Hypertension: An estimated 76.4 million people age 20 and older have high blood pressure, and according to 2005-2008 data, more than 52 percent of cases are uncontrolled. According to the 2010 mortality data, 26,577 deaths were attributed to essential hypertension.

Smoking cigarettes / tobacco: The leading cause of preventable death in the US, an estimated 19.3 percent or 45.3 million adults smoke cigarettes. Cigarette smokers have twice the risk of stroke than non-smokers, and cigar / pipe smokers have a 30 percent higher risk.

Alcohol: While studies are inconclusive, most health professionals agree that drinking more than one or two drinks a day can increase the risk of stroke. Statistics indicate that nearly 1 in 4 Americans admitted to hospitals have a drinking problem or are undiagnosed alcoholics.

Heart disease (atrial fibrillation, valve disease): Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US People with atrial fibrillation have a five times greater risk of stroke, and about 35 percent of all Afib patients suffer a stroke during their lifetime. In 2005, approximately 5.2 million adults in the United States were diagnosed with aortic valve disease.

Hyperlipidemia (elevated cholesterol levels): About one in six adults or 16.3 percent of the adult population in the United States has high total cholesterol.

Previous stroke: Of the 795,000 annual cases, 185,000 are recurrent attacks. Experiencing a previous stroke is a very serious indicator and puts one at higher risk for a later stroke.

Stroke Shield Foundation (SSF) Prevention Tips

• If you have diabetes, monitor your blood glucose, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.
• Modify your diet and participate in regular exercise, under medical supervision if you are severely overweight.
• Manage hypertension through sodium reduction, diet modification, stress reduction, exercise, and / or medication
• Stop smoking and limit alcohol intake
• If you’ve been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation or valve disease, manage it with medications, regular monitoring, and surgery if warranted.
• Control your cholesterol levels through diet modifications and / or medications.
• Know the warning signs of a stroke and call 911 immediately if a stroke is suspected