Better Health. No Hassles. Stroke & Hypertension Awareness By Sokan Hunro, PAC, MPH June 3 rd, 2010

Better Health. No Hassles. Did You Know? Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and a leading cause of severe, long-term disability. About 700,000 Americans will have a new or recurrent stroke this year – that’s someone every 45 seconds. Over 150,000 people will die from a stroke this year. At age 40 and older, 21% of men and 24% of women who survive a first stroke will have another one within one year. Stroke

Better Health. No Hassles. Stroke Types & Causes of Stroke A stroke occurs when there's a problem with the amount of blood in your brain. I. Ischemic strokes: Too little blood in the brain Make up about 87 percent of strokes Occur when the arteries to your brain are narrowed or clogged up by a plaque buildup (cholesterols, blood clots or other “foreign bodies”) II. Hemorrhagic strokes: The MOST DANGEROUS kind of stroke. Occur when a blood vessel in your brain leaks or ruptures, resulting a massive bleeding. Result from a number of conditions that affect your blood vessels, including uncontrolled high blood pressure and weak spots in your blood vessel walls (aneurysms).

Better Health. No Hassles. Signs & Symptoms

Better Health. No Hassles. If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T. and do this simple F.A.S.T. test: – FACE - Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? – ARMS - Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? – SPEECH - Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly? – TIME - If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is critically important. Call 911 or get to the hospital FAST. Brain cells are dying! F.A.S.T

Better Health. No Hassles. How to Reduce Your Risk Know your numbers: Get your blood pressure and cholesterols (total, good and bad cholesterols) checked regularly. Normal values for: BP:120/80 (range: 110/ /85) Total cholesterol:100 – 199 mg/dL Triglyceride:0 – 149 mg/dL Good cholesterol (HDL):>39 mg/dL Bad Cholesterol (LDL):0 – 99 mg/dL Fasting Blood sugar:65 – 99 mg/dL Hemoglobin A1c: 4.8 – 5.6

Better Health. No Hassles. How to Reduce Your Risk If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterols, and heart disease; make sure you follow your doctor's treatment recommendations. Blood pressure & blood glucose can be checked in the Wellness Center on a walk-in basis during the regular business hours. No appointment necessary. Cholesterol & and Hgb A1c testing’s require a blood draw and are also offered by the Wellness Center. Eat a balanced diet emphasizing a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat or non-fat dairy products, fish, legumes and sources of protein low in saturated fat. Exercise regularly minutes a day if you are not overweight; minutes a day if you are overweight.

Better Health. No Hassles. How to Reduce Your Risk Don’t smoke – if you smoke, stop. Do not drink more than 1 to 2 alcoholic drinks a day. Schedule regular visits with your doctor. You may also schedule to have the physical and blood test done at the Wellness Center. It’s FREE! Plus, you’ll get a $25.00 gift card if you get both a physical and a blood test done at the same time. So, please call or me ASAP if you have not had your physical and/or blood test done yet within the past year References: American Heart Association, American Stroke Association and The Mayo Clinic