World Stroke Day - Ipsen US

World Stroke Day is recognized on October 29^th to raise public awareness of this serious medical condition, including identifying the symptoms and risk factors of stroke.

Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke,¹ which occurs if the blood supply to the part of brain is blocked or if a blood vessel bursts within the brain. Some of the consequences of stroke can be long-term disability, spasticity, brain damage or death.

What are the types of stroke?

What happens during a stroke?

To function properly, the brain needs up to 20% of the oxygen we breathe.³ During a stroke, the blood supply to the brain is reduced or blocked and deprives brain cells of oxygen. A lack of oxygen can cause damage or death to the cells within minutes and depending on which part of the brain is damaged, a person’s ability to speak, see and/or move could become impaired.

What are the warning signs of stroke?

Use the letters in B.E. F.A.S.T. to identify a stroke.

B = Balance – Is the person having a hard time with balance or coordination?
E = Eyes – Is the person experiencing blurred or double vision or a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes without pain?
F = Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb?
A = Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S = Speech Difficulty – is speech slurred?
T = Time to call 9-1-1

During a stroke, every minute counts. If you or someone you are with shows any signs of a stroke, you should immediately call 9-1-1 and seek emergency care.

What are the risk factors of stroke?

Post-Stroke Spasticity

After a stroke, survivors can often experience spasticity, and it may be observed in a prevalence as high as 80% of stroke survivors.⁴ The first signs of spasticity may appear as early as within four weeks after brain injury.⁵ Spasticity can impact posture, comfort and function, which could limit movement and coordination.

Hear Diana’s story, who is living with spasticity following a stroke at the age of 34.

Sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Underlying Cause of Death, 1999–2018. CDC WONDER Online Database. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2018. Accessed September 29, 2021.
https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/about.htm
Rink C, Khanna S. Significance of brain tissue oxygenation and the arachidonic acid cascade in strokeexternal icon. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. 2011;14(10):1889–1903.
Chih-Lin Kuo, Gwo-Chi Hu, Post-stroke Spasticity: A Review of Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Treatments, International Journal of Gerontology, Volume 12, Issue 4, 2018, Pages 280-284, ISSN 1873-9598, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijge.2018.05.005.
J Neurol. 2010; 257(7): 1067–1072. Published online 2010 Feb 6. doi: 10.1007/s00415-010-5463-1

Choose your location: