Letter to the Editor: Young People at Risk for Stroke Too

To the Editor:

Almost 800,000 Americans will suffer a stroke this year, leaving about 144,000 people dead.

And even if you’re not a senior citizen, you may be at risk. New information released at the recent American Stroke Association conference shows strokes are increasing in younger Americans, while dropping in older people.

The statistics go on and on, but it unnecessary to roll them out. It seems sufficient merely to state the following: There’s a lot we can do to prevent stroke, and we should all be doing it.

In May, for Stroke Awareness Month, our hospital – and many others – offered programs aimed at educating people on stroke prevention.

The single most important thing you can do to prevent stroke is to control your blood pressure. That means you have to know what your blood pressure is, know what's normal, and partner with your physician to properly treat high blood pressure.

Other measures are simply common sense: if you smoke, stop; if you don’t exercise, start.

You should also know one acronym: FAST. It will help you remember the symptoms of a stroke. 

FAST stands for:

• Facial droop
• Arm drift or weakness
• Slurred speech
• Time to call 911

May is over, but it is always time to think about stroke prevention, and there are many events and programs to get more information. Our hospital, for example, will be holding its 21st Annual Strides for Stroke 5K Run/2K Walk on Thursday, July 12. 

But you don’t have to start on the path to good health with a 5K. Start with whatever small move you can make.

And remember: Just because we didn’t list all the troubling statistics about strokes doesn’t make them any less real.

Signed,

Rao Pasupuleti, MD

Medical Director, Stroke Program, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton