Did you know that we’re living in the “stroke belt”? The Southeastern United States sees more deaths due to stroke than other regions of the country. It is the third leading cause of death in North Carolina and a major cause of disability throughout the country. Stroke affects African Americans and Native Americans more than other North Carolinians.
A stroke happens when the brain isn’t getting the blood it needs, either because a blood vessel is blocked or because it bursts. The symptoms of a stroke include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg.
- Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding others.
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
- Sudden dizziness, trouble walking, or loss of balance or coordination.
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
While overall death rates related to stroke have decreased in North Carolina in recent years, a recent review of stroke data in the US shows that the number of young adults (aged 15-44) hospitalized for strokes has been rising. This study found an increase in the number of these young stroke patients who were using tobacco, had diabetes, and had high cholesterol. In turn, this increase in diabetes and high cholesterol might be related to the increase in childhood obesity and obesity in general in the US over the past 20 years.
Stroke is preventable and treatable. Doing what you can to eat healthy, be active, and refrain from smoking and excessive drinking, can go a long way to reduce your risk of stroke. It’s also important to get your cholesterol levels and blood pressure checked, and if you do have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, to follow your doctor’s guidelines on how to manage these conditions.
Finally, people are much more likely to survive a stroke if they get care as quickly as possible after noticing symptoms. It’s good to know the symptoms, so that you can call 911 immediately if you or someone you are with experiences any of them.
