Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. Worldwide, nearly 6 million die from a stroke and another 5 million are left permanently disabled every year. Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to get care as soon as possible to improve your chance of survival and avoid permanent disability. People’s day-to-day activities have drastically changed to safeguard themselves from the virus, but there is one thing people should not avoid due to the COVID-19 virus – calling 911 for a medical emergency such as a stroke.
“If you suddenly can’t feel or move an arm or a leg, lose vision completely in one eye, or lose the ability to talk or understand speech, you’re likely experiencing a stroke. Facial changes like a drooping eye or mouth and smiles that are irregular are also common signs,” says Charles Joels, MD, vascular surgeon with University Surgical Associates (USA). “People experience a range of symptoms at different levels of severity. Sometimes the symptoms only last a short time – even as short as 20 seconds – but you should still seek help immediately even if the symptoms subside quickly.”
What is a Stroke and What are the Symptoms?
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to your brain is interrupted or reduced, which deprives your brain of oxygen and nutrients – causing your brain cells to die. You may also hear strokes called brain attacks because of how quickly and tragically they affect the brain. When symptoms only last an hour or less, we typically call this a transient ischemic attack or TIA.
“TIAs or mini-strokes are often precursors to a larger, more debilitating stroke. But there are things we can do in terms of treatment and being proactive to help prevent a more severe stroke event,” says Dr. Joels.
Many strokes are caused by carotid artery disease, a chronic health problem that occurs from the buildup of plaque in the carotid arteries. The carotids are the main arteries leading to the brain and are vital because they are the source of the oxygen-rich blood your brain needs to function properly. If plaque accumulates in them, these arteries become increasingly narrow and slow down blood flow, potentially causing a stroke if blood flow stops or plaque fragments travel to the brain.