Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Spring 2021

Don’t delay: Get help for a stroke If you suspect you or someone else is having a stroke, think B.E.F.A.S.T. Why B.E.F.A.S.T.? Because the word is an acronym for an easy way to remember some of the signs and symptoms of stroke and when to get medical help: » B alance—loss of balance. » E yes—lost vision. » F ace drooping. » A rm weakness. » S peech difficulty. » T ime to call 911. B.E.F.A.S.T. also reminds you that stroke is an emergency, and you need to get help quickly. WHY DOYOU NEED HELP QUICKLY? A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, either by a clot or by a ruptured blood vessel. As soon as blood flow is blocked, cells in the brain start to die because they aren’t getting the oxygen and blood they need to survive. Dead brain cells can’t be brought back to life. Damage from the most common type of stroke often can be stopped by a medication called Alteplase IV r-tPA, which can bust open a clot. But the medication must be given within a three-hour window (or up to 4 ½ hours for certain patients). To leave time for evaluation and diagnosis, someone having a stroke must get to a hospital within 60 minutes of when they first started having symptoms. ADDITIONAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS In addition to the B.E.F.A.S.T. symptoms, other signs of stroke can include: » Sudden severe headache with no known cause. » Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body. » Sudden confusion. » Sudden dizziness. If you experience any of these signs or symptoms of a stroke—or spot them in someone else—call 911. Remember: Stroke is a medical emergency. For more information, go to befast.org . Sources: American Stroke Association; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke If you have pre- diabetes, you can cut your risk of getting type 2 diabetes in half by losing weight (if you’re overweight), exercising and eating a healthy diet. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Institutes of Health Could you have prediabetes? Prediabetes means your blood sugar level is higher than normal. But it’s not high enough yet to be type 2 diabetes. About 1 in 3 Americans has prediabetes. Most people don’t know they have prediabetes because it usually doesn’t cause symptoms. Risk factors for prediabetes include being overweight, being 45 or older, having high blood pressure, or having a family history of diabetes. Prediabetes raises your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. ! A simple blood test can let you know if you have prediabetes. Ask your doctor if you should be tested. STAYING WELL 10 VITALITY Spring 2021