This article is from the WebMD News Archive
Israel's Ariel Sharon Suffers Stroke
Jan. 4, 2006 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has been hospitalized after suffering what's reported to be a massive stroke, reports indicate.
In a stroke, blood flow to the brain is disrupted. That interruption gravely threatens control over movement, perception, speech, or other functions of the mind and body.
The Associated Press quotes the director general of the hospital where Sharon is being treated as saying Sharon suffered a cerebral hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) causing "massive bleeding."
Strokes are more commonly caused by blood clots that block blood vessels. Those strokes are called ischemic strokes. Bleeding strokes such as Sharon's are much less common and are often fatal.
Sharon, age 77, had a milder stroke in December 2005. That stroke is said to have been caused by a blood clot related to a hole in Sharon's heart. Since then, Sharon had been taking blood thinners to prevent more clotting. The use of blood thinners increases risk for bleeding.
Swift Treatment a Must
Stroke is the No. 3 cause of U.S. deaths. Each year, about 700,000 Americans have a stroke, and 163,000 die of stroke, according to the American Stroke Association (ASA).
The ASA estimates that every 45 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. Every three minutes, someone dies of stroke.
Immediate treatment can make a big difference to someone having a stroke. Some clot-busting stroke drugs must be given within a few hours of the onset of stroke symptoms, so getting emergency medical help is a must.
Signs of Stroke
The ASA lists these warning signs of stroke:
- 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
Get emergency medical treatment immediately if you or someone around you experiences possible stroke symptoms. Don't wait to see if the problems go away on their own.
Researchers recently reported that stroke patients lose nearly 2 million brain cells for every minute that treatment is delayed.
Preventing Stroke
Stroke is more common among older people, blacks, men, people who've already had a stroke, and people with a family history of stroke.
However, many traits that raise a person's risk of stroke can be controlled. Doing so could help prevent a stroke.
Many tips for stroke prevention are the same as those for preventing a heart attack:
- Eat a healthy diet low in fat, salt, and cholesterol
- Get regular exercise (with your doctor's permission)
- Reach and maintain a healthy weight
- Monitor blood pressure and cholesterol, treating them if they're too high
- Limit alcohol
- Don't smoke
- Learn to manage stress
- If you have diabetes, treat it
Treating atrial fibrillation (a type of irregular heartbeat) and sleep apnea (interrupted breathing during sleep) may also help.
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