Did you know that someone in the US has had a stroke? every 40 seconds? Stroke is the main cause of death in the United States and is the leading cause of disability in adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is also possible to prevent and treat.
So, what exactly is a stroke? A stroke occurs when part of the brain is cut off from blood and oxygen because of a blood clot or a ruptured blood vessel. In minutes, a stroke can cause permanent brain damage, and delaying treatment increases the risk of permanent disability and death. Knowing the risk factors for stroke and its symptoms is important to reduce the chances and improve the outcome of stroke.
The American Heart Association‘s Access to the Heart of Stroke™ initiativeproduced in conjunction with Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare – our many health networks – focuses on the prevention, treatment and prevention of stroke by:
- Providing global consumer and health education.
- Developing collaboration between Neurology and Cardiology.
- Empowering communities equally to improve health outcomes.
With individualized health education projects in 15 US states across the US, the project demonstrates the strong connection between heart and brain health.
“What’s good for the heart is good for the brain, but the reverse is also true: heart problems, including AFib, are well-established risk factors for stroke,” said Nancy Brown, executive director of the American Heart Association. “To fight stroke, we need to work together and improve the heart-brain connection between health professionals, and address health inequalities and disparities in our communities. We are not just one nation, but the best way to achieve public health.”
Know your risk
Preventing stroke starts with knowing the factors that increase your risk of having a stroke. Knowing what causes a stroke is also important to prevent the next stroke. What happens often such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, alcohol or drug abuse, or heart disease. If you have any of these risk factors it is important to talk to your doctor to reduce your risk of stroke.
For example, patients People with atrial fibrillation are five times more likely to have a stroke. American Heart Association patient support group, MyAFibExperienceempowers people to better understand and manage their stroke risk.
As part of Getting to the Heart of StrokeTM The American Heart Association will work with Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare to develop community education and professional education focused on identifying risk factors for stroke through the lens of public health.
Working with thought leaders in the healthcare industry, including those from Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare, the American Heart Association will also develop a standardized training course that will be available to all healthcare professionals.
Know the symptoms
When a stroke occurs, getting treatment as soon as possible is critical to reducing the long-term effects of a stroke. Symptoms of a stroke can be guessed by the words, BE FAST. Here are some signs that could mean you or a loved one is having a stroke:
- Balance or failure to maintain a contract
- Eyes or no to one or both
- Fthose who are swaying to one side
- Arms or failure to raise one or both
- Speech or inability to repeat a simple sentence
And if you or someone close to you is experiencing the symptoms above, that’s it
- TI call 911 and get emergency help.
hands of the sun Healthcare has a long history of prioritizing and working to improve patient safety. This includes reducing our time to door and needle to 34 minutes, which is faster than the national standard for stroke care.
Share with your community
To defeat stroke, we must reduce stroke in every member of our communities. hands of the sun Health services are dedicated to improving the equity and quality of stroke care in all patient groups, including all races and ethnicities. Other patient populations, such as Black and Hispanic/Latinx populations, face some barriers to identifying and treating stroke risk factorsget a full evaluation and get the next stroke treatment.
Getting to the Heart of a StrokeTM addresses these health disparities through community health and education programs in areas such as women’s health, hypertension management, food security and tobacco control.
You can make a difference in your community by sharing your knowledge of stroke care and prevention. By sharing the content of this article, along with the additions provided by a American Heart Association, American Stroke Association and Getting to the Heart of a StrokeTM nothing, and your family and friends who may be at risk of stroke, you can help save lives.