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Most Survivors Don’t Realize
Another Stroke Can be Prevented
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and also a leading cause
of disability in the United States. Approximately 800,000 people in
the U.S. have a stroke every year with nearly one in four being recurrent
strokes. As a national sponsor of Together to End Stroke®,
Bayer® Aspirin is joining the American Stroke Association to
spread the word that stroke can be largely preventable and treatable.
Recent findings from a survey conducted by the American Stroke
Association® among survivors of ischemic (clot-related) strokes and
transient ischemic attacks (TIA), their caregivers and healthcare professionals
underscore the critical need to empower these individuals
with more education. While knowledge of stroke warning signs and
risk factors is fairly high, only eight percent of survivors and caregivers
surveyed believe that strokes can be prevented. In reality, up to
80 percent of recurrent clot-related strokes can be prevented with
the right steps such as managing blood pressure and cholesterol, eating
healthy, staying active, stopping smoking and a doctor-directed
aspirin regimen. Aspirin is not appropriate for everyone, so be sure
to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen.
Healthcare professionals believe that patients struggle to comply
with secondary stroke prevention plans because they don’t understand
the importance, lack motivation, or don’t observe changes
quickly enough. They cite that survivors find it most difficult to
quit smoking (37 percent), exercise regularly (29 percent) and manage
their weight (26 percent). While most survivors and caregivers
believe lifestyle changes are an important part of stroke recovery,
many find it difficult to exercise regularly and manage their weight.
The most common change survivors make is taking recommended
medication (83 percent) and taking aspirin daily (63 percent); 65
percent say they consistently control blood pressure as part of their
stroke recovery plan.
The survey also found that approximately half of the survivors
and caregivers have heard of F.A.S.T., the acronym being used by
the American Stroke Association to highlight the most common
signs and symptoms of stroke, which are as follows:
F- Face Drooping. Ask the person to smile. Does the face look
uneven?
A -Arm Weakness. Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one
arm drift down or is it unable to move?
S - Speech Difficulty. Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase.
Does their speech sound strange? Strange speech could be slurred,
the wrong words may come out, or the person is unable to speak.
T- Time. Time to call 9-1-1.
The survey revealed resources to motivate survivors and to make
it easier to adopt lifestyle changes are crucial. In addition to support
from their healthcare provider, caregivers also play a critical role in
enabling survivors to adopt these practices.
Visit StrokeAssociation.org for more information and resources
about secondary stroke. (BPT)
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