From the Guidelines
Recognizing stroke symptoms is crucial for prompt medical intervention, and the key symptoms include sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden difficulty walking, dizziness, or loss of balance and coordination; and sudden severe headache with no known cause, as highlighted in the most recent guideline from 2018 1. The symptoms of a stroke occur because a stroke disrupts blood flow to the brain, either through a blockage (ischemic stroke) or bleeding (hemorrhagic stroke), causing brain cells to die quickly without oxygen. Some key points to consider when identifying stroke symptoms include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden difficulty walking, dizziness, or loss of balance and coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause Remember the acronym FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties, and Time to call emergency services. If you observe these symptoms in yourself or someone else, call 911 immediately, as prompt treatment within 3-4.5 hours can minimize brain damage and potential disability, as recommended by the American Heart Association 1 and the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations 1. Do not wait to see if symptoms improve, as every minute counts when brain cells are deprived of oxygen. It is essential to note that prompt recognition and response to stroke symptoms can significantly impact patient outcomes, with studies showing that mass media campaigns can increase awareness of stroke symptoms and improve treatment rates 1. Additionally, the use of standardized assessment tools, such as the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), can help healthcare professionals quickly and accurately identify stroke symptoms and determine the severity of the stroke 1. Overall, prompt recognition and treatment of stroke symptoms are critical to minimizing brain damage and improving patient outcomes, and healthcare professionals should prioritize education and awareness of stroke symptoms to improve patient care 1.
From the Research
Symptoms of a Stroke
The provided studies do not directly discuss the symptoms of a stroke. However, they do mention the effects and treatment of acute ischemic stroke.
Treatment and Management
- The studies discuss the use of antithrombotic medications, such as alteplase, tenecteplase, aspirin, and clopidogrel, in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke 2, 3, 4.
- The importance of blood pressure control before thrombolytic therapy is highlighted, with labetalol, nicardipine, and hydralazine being used to lower blood pressure 5, 6.
- The interaction between blood pressure lowering and alteplase dose in acute ischemic stroke is also explored, with results showing no significant difference in functional recovery between intensive and guideline-recommended blood pressure management 6.
Outcomes and Efficacy
- The studies compare the efficacy and safety of different antithrombotic medications, with tenecteplase being shown to be a cost-effective alternative to alteplase 3.
- Dual-antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel is found to be superior to alteplase in achieving a better functional outcome in patients with acute minor ischemic stroke 4.
- The use of low-dose alteplase is explored, with results showing no significant difference in functional recovery compared to standard-dose alteplase 6.