Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Parrish Medical Center - (Page 56)

ASK THE EXPERT Q&A Daniela E. Rusovici, MD, PhD, board-certified neurologist, is a member of the Parrish Medical Group and the PMC medical staff who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of the human nervous system: brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Her office is in Suite 2200 in the Parrish Healthcare Center at Port St. John, 5005 Port St. John Parkway. For an appointment, call 321-633-8660. Listen to Your Brain and Body Learning the signs of stroke, and acting FAST, could save your life or the life of a loved one 56 SPRING 2 014 Q What causes a stroke? Q Is there anything I can do to prevent a stroke? A stroke is often called a brain attack. It happens when a blood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel breaks and interrupts blood ﬂow to an area of the brain. When either of these things happens, brain cells begin to die and brain damage occurs. Many risk factors are beyond your control, like being older than 55, being African-American, having diabetes and having a family history of stroke. If you have one or more of these risk factors, it is even more important to learn about lifestyle and medical changes you can make to prevent a stroke. Medical stroke risk factors include a previous stroke, a previous TIA (transient ischemic attack, or mini-stroke), high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, atrial ﬁbrillation and carotid artery disease. With the help of a healthcare professional, these risk factors can be controlled and managed. Your lifestyle also plays a part in stroke risk. Help yourself by quitting smoking, exercising regularly, watching what and how much you eat, and limiting alcohol consumption. Q What happens when brain cells die because of a stroke? Q Is there a way to tell if someone is having a stroke? Where the stroke occurs in the brain and how much the brain is damaged will determine how a stroke patient is affected. The abilities controlled by the damaged brain area are lost: speech, movement and memory. Some people may experience minor problems, such as arm or leg weakness. A larger stroke may leave someone paralyzed on one side or unable to speak. Some people recover completely from strokes, but more than two-thirds of survivors will have some type of disability. Stroke is an emergency, so act FAST and call 911 immediately. Use the FAST test to remember warning signs of stroke. F = FACE. Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? A = ARMS. Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? S = SPEECH. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Does the speech sound slurred or strange? T = TIME. If you observe any of these signs (independently or together), call 911 immediately.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Parrish Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Parrish Medical Center
Contents
Tasty Tips
Opening Thoughts
Community Calendar
What’s New?
What Are Your Wishes?
CT Scans Can Save Lives
Occupational Hazards
The New Rules of Play
Shopping for Two
Back to Basics
Burn, Baby, Burn
Angelina Jolie
Rock Your Health
Breaking Up with Salt
Disgusting! (or Not?)
Virtual Health
Food Label Literacy
Breathing New Life
Foundation Focus
Ask the Expert

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Parrish Medical Center