Thursday, May 12, 2011

Research Showed Stroke Might Happen while Sleeping



Recent study proved that 1 in 7 get strokes during sleep, About 14 percent of strokes happen while people are sleeping, lowering the chance that they'll be able to get to the hospital in time for a potentially brain-saving treatment, a new study suggests. 

As we know that the only treatment of ischemic stroke should be given a few hour by the time symptoms begin. Ischemic stroke which is caused by blocked blood flow in the brain, usually because of a clot. Mostly, people who wake up with stroke symptoms often can't receive the treatment since we can't determine when the symptoms started. Dr. Jason Mackey, of the University of Cincinnati and a study co-author, said in a news release from the American Academy of Neurology. “some study is trying to develop what benefit will be got in order to make better methods so that study will be conducted to identify it include symptoms started during night

In the study, published in the May 10 issue of Neurology, researchers examined the medical records about 1,854 adults who suffered from ischemic strokes in a one-year period and were treated at emergency rooms in the Cincinnati area. In 14 percent of the cases, people woke up with symptoms of a stroke. The study authors pointed out that Nationwide had accounted for 58,000 people who visit emergency rooms with stroke systems every yearOf 273 people who had so-called "wake-up strokes," at least 98 would have been eligible for treatment with a blood clot-busting drug called tPA if doctors had known when the stroke had begun, the study reported.

"If a stroke started more than a few hours ago, tPA is not indicated because it is so dangeraous which can cause bleeding and more will extend and enlarge the stroke," explained Dr. Byron K. Lee, associate professor of medicine and director of the Electrophysiology Laboratories and Clinics at the University of California, San Francisco. "In wake-up strokes, it's nearly impossible to know when the symptoms started [so] tPA is not an option and, therefore, the neurologic deficits have a higher chance of becoming permanent."
According to the National Stroke Association, there have some possible symptoms of a stroke occur:
  • Sudden paralysis or weakness in the face or limbs, especially on one side of the body
  • Sudden problems with balance or walking
  • Sudden vision problems
  • Slurred speech
  • Sudden confusion or problems speaking or understanding simple statements
  • Sudden severe headache with no apparent cause

In addition, if you wake up feeling strange symptoms, Lee said, don't sit around. "People should not wait for any new neurologic deficits in the morning to pass or go away as they become less groggy," he said. "They should find medical attention at once. Even though tPA may not be an option in wake-up strokes, there are still many other treatments that can be given in an emergency room or hospital."

Stroke experts also offer a simple way to aid people remember what to look for if they think they are witnessing a stroke: Think FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time):
  • Face means See if the person can smile, or if one side of their face seems to droop.
  • Arms mean can the person raise both arms, or does one side drift downward?
  • Speech means See if the person is able to speak clearly or repeat a simple phrase.
  • Time means Call ambulance immediately if the person exhibits any of these signs.
Source: Healthday

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