

When you get a headache, you probably take aspirin and try to shrug it off. But sometimes headaches are warning signs of something much more serious — a stroke, a condition that’s similar to a heart attack but affects the brain. More than 795,000 people in the US suffer from a stroke every year, and of those, about 130,000 die from it. According to one survey, while 60 percent of people knew that severe headache with no known cause could signal stroke, only 38 percent of people could recognize all the major symptoms and knew to call 911 right away so they can be taken to the nearest stroke center.
Type of stroke: ischemic (blockage-type brain attack)
Type of stroke: hemorrhagic (a.k.a. bleeding-type brain attack, or brain bleed)
What is a Comprehensive Stroke Center and how close am I to one?
Comprehensive Stroke Centers treat patients suffering from ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes to the most complex stroke cases via t-PA administration and interventional procedures. The less-invasive procedures are performed by Interventional Neurologists utilizing Biplane Imaging Technology which produces highly detailed 3-D views of blood vessels leading and within the brain. Combined with a full continuum of stroke care, trained neurological nurses, therapists, neurologists and neurosurgeons, a Comprehensive Stroke Center is the best chance of survival for stroke patients. Fortunately, for the Osceola community, Osceola Regional has recently opened a Comprehensive Stroke Center, the only one of its kind in the county.
Prevention
Unfortunately, some risk factors for stroke can’t be changed but there are a few things you can do to lower your risk. Visit OsceolaRegional.com to learn about prevention.
Act F.A.S.T.
If you think you or someone you know is having a stroke, remember the acronym F.A.S.T. — Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty and Time to call 911.
Source: Sharecare.com