There are some things in life that you can just count on. Tomorrow, the sun will rise and you will start your day in much the same way that you always have. You will eat breakfast, read the paper, go to work or do some yard work. You can count on being able to the things you love.  But if you are one of the 500,000 Americans who will suffer a stroke this year, your entire life could change and doing the basic everyday activities could become very difficult.

What is a Stroke?

Everyone has heard of someone who has had a stroke. We all know that strokes are serious. Strokes can cause death or permanently disable people. Doctors call strokes cerebrovascular accidents. But what does that really mean? In layman’s terms, a stroke is a plumbing problem. It is what happens to us if one of our pipes either leaks or is blocked and part of our brain is deprived of oxygen. Without oxygen, brain cells die therefore causing permanent damage.

Your pipes that are affected during a stroke are arteries. If the artery breaks, blood floods into the brain and damages it. If the artery is blocked, blood doesn’t reach the brain at all. There are ways to treat conditions of the artery as well as prevent problems all together.

The most important pipe to the brain, the main line, is called the internal carotid artery. Sometimes cholesterol blockages can build up in this artery. These blockages are called plaques. If all or part of that plaque breaks off, it can flow downstream into the brain and cause a stroke. If the blockage can be detected before it causes a stroke, a vascular surgeon can help to clear the blockage.

Stroke Symptoms

Because early treatment for a stroke is critical, it’s important to recognize the warning signs.  They include:
•    Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
•    Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
•    Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
•    Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
•    Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Preventing a Stroke

There are two methods that vascular surgeons use to clean out the carotid artery. The first and oldest is the carotid endarterectomy. With this method, an incision is made in the neck, the artery is opened and the plaque is simply removed. This method has a proven track record for reducing the risk of stroke and is appropriate for most patients. There are also less invasive procedures that can be done. A newer method called carotid stenting involves covering the plaque so that it doesn’t grow and completely block the artery or break off and cause damage downstream.

The best way to learn more about your risk for stroke is to talk with your doctor and see what measures you can take today to prevent this all too common problem. You may have symptoms that suggest that you need testing to look for blockages in your arteries.  And, if you think you are having a stroke, seek emergency care immediately.

By Richard W. Lee, MD with Sanford Clinic Vascular Associates