Stroke Awareness Foundation Blog

There is still a widely held belief among physicians that very little recovery can occur beyond the first six or 12 months after a stroke.  However science results presented at the American Stroke Association’s 2010 International Stroke Conference show that high-intensity, repetitive rehabilitation exercises can help stroke survivors significantly improve functioning in their paralyzed arm and in their quality of life even years after their disabling event.

An intracerebral hemorrhage, a type of hemorrhagic stroke is caused when a burst blood vessel bleeds into the brain.  High blood pressure also called hypertension, is the most common cause of this type of stroke.  The bleeding causes brain cells to die, and that part of the brain no longer works correctly.

An aneurysm is a weak spot on the wall of an artery that may balloon out, forming a thin-walled bubble.  As it gets bigger, the aneurysm gets weaker and can burst, leaking blood into or outside of the brain.

Brain Aneurysm Statistics

• An estimated 6 million people in the United States have an unruptured brain aneurysm, or 1 in 50 people

• The annual rate of rupture is approximately 8 per 100,000 people or about 25,000 people

• About 40% of all people who have a ruptured brain aneurysm will die as a result

• 4 out of 7 people who recover from a ruptured brain aneurysm will have disabilities

• Brain aneurysms are most prevalent in people ages 35 – 60, but can occur in children as well

• Women, more than men, suffer from brain aneurysms at a ratio of 3:2

• Ruptured brain aneurysms account for 3-5% of all new strokes

Stroke continues to be a major public health concern, with more than 750,000 new strokes occurring each year in the United States. It is the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer and the leading neurologic cause of long-term disability.  In California, stroke accounts for approximately 17,000 deaths each year, 50 deaths per 100,000 population.  The annual cost of stroke exceeds $7 billion dolars (4.6 billion in medical care and 2.6 billion in lost productivity).  Stroke has a large economic cost with an estimated annual direct and indirect cost of $62.7 billion in the United States. The estimated lifetime cost of an ischemic stroke in 1987 was $90,981 ($226,000 in 2005 dollars); however, between 1990 and 2000, the in-hospital charges, a proxy for cost, increased by 32% and 63% in rural and urban hospitals, respectively.

American Stroke Association late-breaking science report:

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 26, 2010 — The antiplatelet drug cilostazol — used in the United States to treat leg pain associated with peripheral vascular disease — was more effective and safer than aspirin at preventing recurrent strokes in a Japanese trial presented as late-breaking science at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2010.

“This study demonstrated for the first time that cilostazol significantly reduces the risk of recurrent ischemic [blood-clot caused] stroke and the incidence of serious cerebral hemorrhage, compared to aspirin,” said Yukito Shinohara, M.D., lead author of the study and head of neurology at Tachikawa Hospital in Tokyo, Japan.

There are two types of ischemic strokes: embolic and thrombotic.  In an embolic stroke, a blood clot or plaque fragment forms somewhere in the body (usually the heart or tin the large arteries leading to the brain) and moves through the bloodstream to the brain.  Once in the brain, the blot blocks a blood vessel and leads to a stroke.  A thrombotic stroke is a blood clot that does not travel but forms inside an artery which supplies blood to the brain.  The clot may interrupt he blood flow and cause a stroke.

 Tell your story, share what you did to regain your strength and start your life again after stroke.  Connect with other stroke survivors, receive encouragement and support.  Be included and share resources. 

The University of Montana has published a news release that  Montana researchers have learned that low doses of methamphetamine given to rodents after strokes reduce brain damage and impairment by 50 percent or more.  As far as we know this this treatment has never been done before and it has been reported that this damage-reducing stroke drug is moving to human trials.  This group is unfamiliar to us as is their  highly unusual  treatment approach.  If you are knowledgeable about this or other non standard of care stroke practices please let us know.

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, espcially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden sever headache with no known cause.

Any of the above symptoms may be temporary and last only a few minutes.  This may be due to a “mini-stroke” called a transient ischemic attack (TIA) TIAs are extremely important indicators of an impending stroke.  Don’t ignore them!  If symptoms appear call 911 to get medical attention immediately.

There are an estimated six million stroke survivors in America.

What you can do to with your doctors help:

1.  Have regular checkups- A doctor can pinpoint major risk factors such as smoking, elevated cholesterol or blood pressure, excess weight and diabetes.

2.  Control your cholesterol -  A simple blood test can show your blood cholesterol level.  If it’s too high, dietary changes, exercise, eight loss and/or drugtherapy can bring it down to a safer level.

3.  Keep tabs on your blood pressure – Even if it’s less than 120/80 mm Hg, have it checked at least every two years.  If it’s 120/80 or above, have it checked more often, according to your doctor’s recommendations.

4. Keep diabetes in check – Your doctor can detect diabetes or a pre-diabetic condition and prescribe a program to minimize the risk.