TULSA, Okla. — Knowing the signs can save a life. 2 News spoke with an expert on the stroke team at Saint Francis that cared for Julie Chin, who recently experienced the "beginnings of a stroke" while on air.
Julie experienced a health scare during our live broadcast last Saturday. She gave an update on her condition with fellow Anchor Karen Larsen, saying that it all happened in a matter of minutes, and tried to continue anchoring the show not realizing what happened.
According to the American Heart Association, what Julie did is quite common for those experiencing stroke symptoms. Often, there are no pain or warning signs to prompt someone to seek medical attention until it happens. However, there is an acronym to remember in BE FAST:
- Balance (Sudden loss of balance)
- Eyes (Sudden blurriness or loss of vision)
- Face (Facial drooping or numbness)
- Arms (Sudden weakness or numbness of an arm)
- Speech (Slurred speech, or unable to speak)
- Time (Time to call 911)
Cameron Richardson, a nurse at Saint Francis, says a stroke is a disruption of blood supply to the brain. It can either be from a block or a bleed which means oxygen is not getting to the brain. A stroke can also happen to anyone at any age.
“It happens all the way up in the elderly to all the way down to children, so it's really important to seek help and get that help quickly," says Richardson. "There's generally no pain when someone is suffering from a stroke and pain is very a good motivator, so if you have any chest pain, people usually seek help. With strokes, they don’t always seek help because there’s no pain, but it’s still very important to get help.”
A person can have what's known as a TIA, also known as a transient ischemic attack or a mini-stroke. These don't leave permanent damage but still are a warning sign to take your health seriously. A full stroke can cause damage that cannot be repaired.
"Everything with stroke is going to be one side versus the other. It's going to be weak on one side and not weak on the other because one side of the brain is affected the other side of the body is where you will see the results," explains Richardson.
Saint Francis sees about 1,500 stroke patients every year. Of those patients, the ones who can get there in time can get intervention provided by the hospital. They do that by administering a medication that can break the clots up.
Recognizing the signs is important, but they say you can also lower the risk of a stroke by taking care of yourself and consulting your doctor with any concerns or questions.
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