Advances and Advocacy in the Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke

Aneesh Singhal, MD, author of Recognition and management of stroke in young adults and adolescents, from the Clinical Journal of the American Academy of Neurology states

The health issue that this artifact discusses is the significance of knowing and recognizing the warning signs of a stroke. The American Heart Association has made it their mission to provide unlimited health information and research in the hopes of eliminating cardiovascular diseases as well as helping society in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “Stroke is the number 5 cause of death and a leading cause of

The objective of the present study was to assess the extent of stroke knowledge, specifically regarding the risk factors and warning signs of stroke. Thus, it is important to be well understood about stroke, the risk factors and the warning signs. Furthermore, this review will discuss in details about the two risk factors, stress and obesity that are significant among the studied population. This is followed by the review on the state of stroke knowledge and its importance from the previous studies among varied populations.

Strokes are the fifth leading cause of deaths in America. They are also one of the leading causes of disabilities in adults. There are many factors, such as atrial fibrillation and lifestyle factors, which could lead to a potential stroke. There is the atrial fibrillation (shortened to “AFib”) and stroke connection. AFib is the constant and irregular beating of the two atria valves of the heart. The irregular heartbeats can cause blood to form clots in the heart and travel towards the brain. There are other types of risk factors that can lead to strokes, which are medical risk factors, lifestyle risk factors, and uncontrollable risk factors. Some examples of medical risk factors include high blood pressure, circulation problems, high cholesterol,

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is stated that “every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke” (“Stroke,” 2018). Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, which include coronary heart disease, stroke, and other related conditions. There are various modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors associated with heart disease, such as age, family history, diet, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, and more (“2016 Community Health Assessment,” 2017). About 795,000 people suffer from stroke each year and it is more common among the elderly, ages 65 years and older, in the United States (“Stroke,” 2018). The consequences of stroke can be detrimental,

A less common type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke. This type of stroke occurs when the artery that supplies blood to the brain ruptures or bursts. Stroke is an expensive disease with lifetime rehabilitation costing over $140,000 per ischemic stroke with higher costs for subarachnoid hemorrhage (Alberts, et. al. 2011). Although stroke risk increases with age, strokes can occur at any age. In 2009, 34% of people hospitalized for stroke were younger than 65 years (Hall, 2012). More women than men have strokes each year, in part because women live longer. Estimates of the overall incidence of stroke in U. S. children are 6.4 per 100,000 (0-15 yrs.) with approximately half being hemorrhagic stroke (ASA, 2016). African Americans are more impacted by stroke than any other racial group within the American

Stroke previously known as Cerebrovascular accident is well-defined as ‘an abrupt cessation of cerebral circulation in one or more of the blood vessels distributing the brain. Due to the interruption or diminish of oxygen supply causes serious damage or necrosis in the brain tissues (Jauch, Kissella & Stettler, 2005). There is a presence of one or more symptoms such as weakness or numbness or paralysis of the face, arm or leg, difficulty speaking or swallowing, dizziness, loss of balance, loss of vision, sudden blurring or decreased vision in one or both eyes and headache. Stoke is categorised into two types, Ischaemic and haemorrhagic

According to (Stroke Association, 2015 and WHO, 2016), the risk of recurrent CVS is up to fifteen times more than the risk of CVS and is concerned with insufficient control of risk factors and non-adherence to medical advice. So that, identification of risk factors of recurrence is an important role of the critical care nurses, plays a crucial role in further stroke recurrent prevention. The risk factors for stroke recurrence divided into two types:

A primary component of public health education about strokes is information about modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Non-modifiable risk factors include being elderly and being male, having an immediate relative who is a stroke survivor or being a stroke survivor yourself, and being of African American heritage. In addition, dyslipidemica (high cholesterol,

The goal of this project is to increase knowledge and awareness of stroke, encourage self-monitoring, and maintain healthy lifestyle changes to prevent stroke in older adults.

A stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading into as well as within the brain. “Strokes are the 4th leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately 800,000 people have strokes every year about one every 4 seconds.”1 A stroke may cause lasting brain damage, long term disability, or possibly even death. There are three main types of strokes, ischemic, hemorrhagic and transient ischemic attacks and each come with many warning signs. A person may have an increased chance of having a stroke depending on their lifestyle and risky behaviors, and treatment is determined on what type of stroke a person has.

Stroke is seen as a major health concern and this is due to the fact that every year, as many as 110,000 individuals suffers from strokes making it a key issue. (NHS 2014)

Each year more than 795,000 Americans have a stroke. Strokes are the fifth leading cause of death for Americans but the risk of having a stroke varies with race and ethnicity. African Americans are more likely to die because the risk of having a first stroke is nearly twice as high for African Americans. Hispanics’ risk for a stroke is between whites and blacks. Age also has an impact on strokes as well. A risk of a stroke increases with age, strokes can and will occur at any age. But what causes people to have strokes?

According to strokecenter.org, in the United States, strokes are the third leading cause of death, it is the leading cause of long-term disability, 795,000 people suffer from a stroke each year, ¾ of the people experiencing strokes are over the age of 65 and your chance nearly doubles over the age of 55. Worldwide, 15 million people suffer a stroke each year, high blood pressure is the cause of more than 12.7 million strokes, and “…in developed countries, the incidence of stroke is declining, largely due to efforts to lower blood pressure and reduce smoking. However, the overall rate of stroke remains high due to the aging of the population.” (“Stroke Statistics,” 2006). As one can see, stroke does depend greatly on age, but there are ways to prevent strokes like lowering blood pressure and reducing smoking. These statistics help prove the severity of strokes and how common they are in the United States and worldwide. It is important to understand the signs and symptoms of strokes and risk factors in order to be aware for yourself and those around you. If you suspect you or anyone you know may be at risk for a stroke, it is important to contact a physician immediately to discuss preventative measures to

In 1990, Bevan et al. (1990) reviewed the medical records of 113 young patients aged 15-45 years who were admitted to the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont with a diagnosis of stroke between 1982 and 1987. This group comprised 8.5% of patients of all ages admitted for stroke. Nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage was diagnosed in 46 young patients (41%); the main causes included aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, hypertension, and tumors. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was found in 19 young patients (17%); the majority was due to aneurysms. The remaining 48 young patients (42%) had cerebral infarction, primarily due to cardiogenic emboli and premature atherosclerosis. Other infrequent causes were Mitral valve prolapse (MVP), oral contraceptives, alcohol drinking, and migraine. When comparing this sample to that of the National Survey of Stroke, researchers found that the case-fatality rate for this group of young patients with stroke was 20.4% compared with 23.9% for the National Survey of Stroke. They concluded that young adults with stroke deserve an extensive but tailored evaluation, which should include angiography and echocardiography (Bevan et al, 1990, 382- 386).