3

4

of stroke.

Call 911 RIGHT AWAY if you seeor have any of these warning signs:✦ Sudden numbness or weakness in

the face, arm, or leg—especiallyon one side of the body

✦ Sudden confusion, trouble

speaking or understanding

✦ Sudden problems seeing in one

eye or both eyes

✦ Sudden dizziness, loss of

balance or coordination, ortrouble walking

✦ Sudden severe headache with

no known cause

DON’T IGNORE THE SIGNS!

The warning signs of a stroke maylast only a few minutes and then goaway. When this happens, it couldbe a mini-stroke, which is called

a TIA (transient ischemic attack).

This is also a medical emergencythat requires attention right away.An unrecognized and untreated TIAcan be followed within hours by amajor disabling stroke. Always payattention to any stroke symptoms,even if they are fleeting.

first 3 hours after symptoms appear.The clot-busting drug t-PA can greatlylower the damage caused by a stroke,but it must be given within the 3 hourtime frame. Getting to the hospital assoon as possible allows time for a CTscan of the brain. This scan will showwhether t-PA is the right treatment.Only patients with ischemic stroke,caused by a clot, are candidates forthis treatment. The doctor will diagnose stroke based on the patient’ssymptoms, medical history, andmedical tests that let doctors lookclosely at the brain to see the typeand location of the stroke.

There are many different ways

to help people recover from a stroke.Drugs and physical therapy work toimprove balance, coordination, andother deficits from the stroke suchas speech and language problems.Occupational therapy can make iteasier to do things like bathing andcooking. Many therapies start inthe hospital and continue at home.

A family doctor can provide

follow-up care. Progress is differentfor each person. Some people recover
3

4

Never ignore the warning signsof stroke.

Call 911 RIGHT AWAY if you seeor have any of these warning signs:✦ Sudden numbness or weakness in

the face, arm, or leg—especiallyon one side of the body

✦ Sudden confusion, trouble

speaking or understanding

✦ Sudden problems seeing in one

eye or both eyes

✦ Sudden dizziness, loss of

balance or coordination, ortrouble walking

✦ Sudden severe headache with

no known cause

DON’T IGNORE THE SIGNS!

The warning signs of a stroke maylast only a few minutes and then goaway. When this happens, it couldbe a mini-stroke, which is called

a TIA (transient ischemic attack).

This is also a medical emergencythat requires attention right away.An unrecognized and untreated TIAcan be followed within hours by amajor disabling stroke. Always payattention to any stroke symptoms,even if they are fleeting.

Recovery from a stroke is most successful if treatment begins within thefirst 3 hours after symptoms appear.The clot-busting drug t-PA can greatlylower the damage caused by a stroke,but it must be given within the 3 hourtime frame. Getting to the hospital assoon as possible allows time for a CTscan of the brain. This scan will showwhether t-PA is the right treatment.Only patients with ischemic stroke,caused by a clot, are candidates forthis treatment. The doctor will diagnose stroke based on the patient’ssymptoms, medical history, andmedical tests that let doctors lookclosely at the brain to see the typeand location of the stroke.

There are many different ways

to help people recover from a stroke.Drugs and physical therapy work toimprove balance, coordination, andother deficits from the stroke suchas speech and language problems.Occupational therapy can make iteasier to do things like bathing andcooking. Many therapies start inthe hospital and continue at home.

A family doctor can provide

follow-up care. Progress is differentfor each person. Some people recover
7 8

Bethesda, MD 20824-0105301-592-8573www.nhlbi.nih.govNational Stroke Association9707 East Easter LaneEnglewood, CO 80112-3747303-649-92991-800-STROKES (1-800-787-6537)www.stroke.orgAmerican Stroke Association7272 Greenville AvenueDallas, TX 752311-888-478-7653www.strokeassociation.orgFor more information on healthand aging, as well as publications onexercise for older people, contact:National Institute on AgingInformation CenterP.O. Box 8057Gaithersburg, MD 20898-80571-800-222-22251-800-222-4225 (TTY)E-mail: niaic@jbs1.com

Visit NIHSeniorHealth.gov(www.nihseniorhealth.gov), a seniorfriendly website from the NationalInstitute on Aging and the NationalLibrary of Medicine. This websitefeatures popular health topics forolder adults. It is simple to use,has large type, and a ‘talking’function that reads text aloud.

U.S. Department of Healthand Human ServicesPublic Health ServiceNational Institutes of HealthJuly 2004
7 8

NHLBI Health Information CenterP.O. Box 30105Bethesda, MD 20824-0105301-592-8573www.nhlbi.nih.govNational Stroke Association9707 East Easter LaneEnglewood, CO 80112-3747303-649-92991-800-STROKES (1-800-787-6537)www.stroke.orgAmerican Stroke Association7272 Greenville AvenueDallas, TX 752311-888-478-7653www.strokeassociation.orgFor more information on healthand aging, as well as publications onexercise for older people, contact:National Institute on AgingInformation CenterP.O. Box 8057Gaithersburg, MD 20898-80571-800-222-22251-800-222-4225 (TTY)E-mail: niaic@jbs1.com

visit www.niapublications.org.

Visit NIHSeniorHealth.gov(www.nihseniorhealth.gov), a seniorfriendly website from the NationalInstitute on Aging and the NationalLibrary of Medicine. This websitefeatures popular health topics forolder adults. It is simple to use,has large type, and a ‘talking’function that reads text aloud.

U.S. Department of Healthand Human ServicesPublic Health ServiceNational Institutes of HealthJuly 2004