Fast Response is Key to Preventing Permanent Disability After Stroke

A Stroke is a debilitating brain injury that occurs when blood flow to the brain is reduced or blocked, restricting nutrients and oxygen from reaching the brain. The lack of oxygen kills brain cells and can cause loss of reasoning and speech skills, and arm or leg movement. Without immediate medical treatment, some damage can become permanent.

The severity of these symptoms, and how long they last, depends on how long the blood supply is reduced or interrupted. Washington DC VA Medical Center’s Stroke Coordinator, Durga Muppala, RN, said Veterans who think they are having or may have had a stroke should get to a hospital within three hours of when their symptoms started.

“With available immediate intervention, we can potentially reverse debilitating disabilities caused by the stroke before they become permanent, but we need to see them within three hours for the best results. Unfortunately, more than half of our patients just stay home because they don’t fully realize what has happened,” she said.

Unlike a heart attack, which is easy to identify by pain in the chest and tingling or numbness in the left arm, a stroke can present a variety of symptoms that range from severe headaches to drooping facial features. Muppala’s mission is to educate Veterans on the signs of a stroke, so they recognize when to seek help. She uses the BE F.A.S.T. method, which teaches Veterans to watch for sudden onset of the following symptoms: 

BALANCE: Loss of balance.

EYES: Loss of vision in one or both eyes.

FACE: Check the face. Is the mouth drooping?

ARMS: Can they lift both arms?

SPEECH: Is speech slurred? Can they understand you?

TIME: This step is critical. If you see any of the above signs, seek help immediately.

Weakness in the arm or face muscles and difficulty with speech are the most common symptoms of a stroke but other signs include dizziness, loss of vision and headaches. Many of these symptoms are easy to ignore so Veterans may not seek care for them. That is a big mistake according to Muppala, because it can be a precursor to a much more severe stroke on the horizon.

“Even if there are no lasting symptoms present, it increases the risk of another, more serious stroke in your future,” she said. “Talk to your doctor about your symptoms so we can target the issue and work to reduce your risks.”

Veterans can reduce their risk of having a stroke by:

• Eating healthier
• Losing weight
• Reducing stress
• Exercising
• Reducing alcohol and tobacco consumption
• Addressing underlying health issues, such as high-blood pressure, with your doctor
• Taking medicines as prescribed

Making lifestyle changes can be difficult, even when your health is at stake. Muppala wants to remind Veterans that they don’t have to do it alone.

“Building a support system of family, friends and health care providers is the biggest step. Together we can come up with a plan to manage your risk factors that you can stick to,” she said. “Please, learn the signs, seek help if you see them, and talk to your doctor about stroke prevention now.”