Strokes in Young People

Strokes are caused by a block in the blood supply to the brain which causes a decrease in oxygen and delivery of other important supplies which facilitate proper functioning. Fifteen million cases are reported worldwide annually, although not all of these cases are mortalities, the large prevalence of strokes ranks it as the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. (Figueroa) Because of the time sensitivity associated with the lack of resources to the brain, strokes are considered a medical emergency and early recognition of symptoms can help decrease the amount of damage caused . Although strokes do not always cause death, strokes most often leave the individual with some physical and cognitive impairment.

“Strokes in young adults […] comprise 10%–15% of all stroke patients, ischemic stroke among young adults was diagnosed in 61% of cases, intracerebral hemorrhage in 17%, and subarachnoid hemorrhage in 22%.

Strokes are the 5th leading cause of death in the US, with one person dying every 4 minutes as a result. For African Americans, stoke is the 3rd leading cause of death.(http://www.cdc.gov/stroke/facts.htm) It is estimated that About 795,000 people have a stroke each year; about one every 40 seconds - there are many medical conditions that can cause a stroke and it is estimated that 8 out of 10 strokes can be prevented. However, there are some things that cannot be controlled when you are predisposed to

Strokes are caused by pathophysiological changes. The two major mechanisms of stroke consist of ischemia and haemorrhage. Ischemia is when there is no oxygen or not, merely enough oxygen to fuel the tissue level in the body. Haemorrhage in the brain, causing strokes can be due to non-traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage (Shah, MD, n.d.) (see appendix 1). This essay will further discuss the implications of strokes on a cellular, organ and system level. Explain the clinical presentation of the signs and symptoms of strokes and how the condition will be managed by a paramedic.

A stroke can be brought on by many different factors like age, gender and family history – all of which one cannot control. Others are lifestyle factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity or being over weight, poor diet, lack of exercise and drinking too much alcohol (stroke foundation Australia). Currently there is no universally accepted treatment (Ward, 2005).

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, there are more than 700,000 strokes every year, and about two-thirds of these individuals survive and

Stroke is like a heart attack, but instead the problem is with the brain not the heart. Stroke happens when the blood that is suppose to go to the brain is blocked or reduced. When the blood supply to the brain is blocked or reduced, the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen or nutrients, which causes brain cells to die. It can also be because of smoking. Smoking creates blood clots in the artery. Stroke is the top 5 disease that caused death in the US, but for black people stroke is the top 3 disease that caused death. Stroke commonly occurs to people over the age of 65. Even though the risk of having a stroke is high over the age of 65, stroke can occur at any age. Approximately 15 million people suffer from stroke each year. 5 million of these

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Each year more than 795,000 Americans suffer from a stroke, which means that every forty seconds someone has stroke (Liebman, 2012). Although a stroke can occur at any age, strokes are frequently seen in the older adult demographics. An increase with age doubles the risk for a stroke each decade after 55 (Grysiewicz, 2008). The percentage of stroke survivors to almost fully recover from a stroke is only 10 percent; in contrast, 40 percent of stroke survivors will face moderate to severe impairment which will entail distinctive care (Perlmutter and Colman, 2005). When all strokes are analyzed according to demography of class system, approximately 60% of strokes occur in low or middle income countries (Silverman and Rymer, 2009).

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,

Stroke does not discriminate. Although slightly more men die from stroke; an equal number of women do as well. The risk of stroke increases sharply for people over the age of 55. Men tend to have strokes earlier in life, whereas women do later in life. Because of this, men are better to survive the event whereas women do not as their bodies cannot recover easily. African Americans stand out among all nationalities as the group that suffers the most from stroke and they do so at an earlier age.

The tool used for the presentation of the Health Promotion Project pertains to the video titled: Know Stroke: Know the Signs. Act in Time, published on the website of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (National Institute of Health, n.d.) to help educate the public about the symptoms of stroke and the importance of getting to the hospital quickly. This video reflects the current standards of practice and is easily accessible from the NIH website under the stroke material: videos, television, and radio public service announcements. The content of this video is objective, easy to understand and follow. The authenticity of this video is supported by the fact that it contains the stories told by the

Depending on the most likely cause of your stroke, your doctor may advise specific medication or consider surgery to remove fatty deposits in your carotid artery.

A stroke is considered a medical emergency in which prompt treatment is crucial to minimize damage to the brain and reduce the complications. There are preventative measures for strokes, which is why there are fewer deaths presently compared to years ago. Reducing the risk factors is ideal in reducing the chances of stroke occurrence. Ensuring proper weight management, exercising/ physical activity, reducing or stopping alcohol consumption, stopping smoking and stopping use of illegal drugs can help prevent the risk of a stroke. Other risk factors include family background, being older, race, and gender.

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)

I lost already one person due to a stroke, and considering that only in the US one person dies of stroke every 4 minutes, by the time I will finish writing this post unfortunately several more people will have died. The reason why I decided to write this post is to help other people recognize the early symptoms of strokes and giving them a chance to call for help in a timely manner. Even a few minutes can greatly increase the chances of survival, so if you know somebody with high risk for a stroke please read carefully.