Stroke is a main cause of the main death in Lapeer County, state

Note from the publisher: May is recognized nationally as the month of stroke awareness and, according to the American Heart Association, stroke is the most fifth -common cause of death and a main cause of disabilities in the United States. A stroke is a serious illness that requires immediate emergency care.

Strokes can cause permanent brain damage, long -term disabilities or even death if they are not treated immediately. Warning signs of a stroke can contain sudden deafness or Weakness on the face, arms or legs, especially on one side of the body. Confusion with speaking, speaking or understanding, difficulties with the view in one or both eyes and a sudden heavy headache without known cause are also common.

Today we offer a better insight into what a stroke is and what you should do to prevent a stroke, but also what to do when you think you have experienced a stroke.

– Jeff Hogan

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Lapeer County – May is recognized in the United States as a national month of the national stroke. It is a time that intensifies the sensitization of the public for stroke, their symptoms, risk factors and the importance of immediate treatment. The month also encourages the residents of Lapeer County to take steps to reduce their own risk of stroke.

According to the centers for the control and prevention of diseases (CDC), almost 800,000 people in the United States have a stroke every year, and someone tragically dies from a stroke every four minutes.

In 2024, the age-adjusted mortality rate of Michigan was 44.2 per 100,000 inhabitants with a total of 5,802 toke deaths. This places Michigan in the states with relatively high stroke mortality rates.

The Lapeer Community Health needs assessment report (2023) shows that stroke, according to McLaren Health Care, was the fifth most common cause of death in Lapeer County, with 38 deaths being attributed.

The CDC also notes that the mortality rates of strokes in people between the ages of 45 and 64 have generally decreased, but between 2020 and 2021 rose in certain regions.

A stroke can occur if the blood flow to the brain is blocked or sudden bleeding is in the brain. There are two types of lines. A stroke that occurs because the blood flow to the brain is blocked is called an ishemic stroke. The brain cannot get oxygen and nutrients out of the blood. Without oxygen and nutrients, brain cells begin to die within minutes. A stroke that occurs in the brain due to sudden bleeding is called hemorrhagic stroke. The leaked blood leads to pressure on brain cells and damages it.

Almost 90% of the strokes contain blocked blood vessels (ischemic), and the rest contains internal bleeding (hemorrhagic). Strokes are further classified, based on which blockade or bleeding in the brain.

A stroke is a medical emergency. A stroke can lead to permanent brain damage, long -term disabilities or even death. Signs of a stroke can range from light weakness to paralysis or numbness on one side of the face or body. Other signs can be sudden and severe headaches, sudden weakness, difficulties in seeing and problems speaking or understanding language.

If you believe that you or someone else have a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately. Do not go to the hospital or let someone else drive. Call an ambulance so that medical staff can begin life -saving treatment on the way to the emergency room. Every minute counts during a stroke.

In the hospital, a stroke team evaluates their condition and treats their stroke with medicine, operation or another procedure. Your recovery depends on how serious your stroke was and how quickly you were treated. A rehabilitation plan can help you return to what you used to do before you had a stroke.

Signs and symptoms

The signs and symptoms of a stroke often occur quickly. However, you can develop for hours or even days. This sometimes happens when a temporary ischemic attack (TIA) – a blockade that breaks out before it damages its brain – into a stroke.

The type of symptoms depends on the type of stroke and the affected brain area.

Signs of a TIA or a stroke can include:

• Sudden confusion, problems with speaking or problems with understanding the language;

• Sudden deafness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;

• Sudden severe headache without known cause;

• Sudden problems to see from one or both eyes;

• Sudden problems when walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination.

The FAST Test can help you remember what to do if you believe that someone has a stroke.

F – Face: Ask the person to smile. A side of the face meanders?

A – Weapons: Ask the person to raise both arms. Is one arm drift down?

S – Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Is your language blurry or strange?

T – Time: If you observe one of these characters, call 9-1-1 immediately. Early treatment is essential.

A stroke can lead to permanent brain damage, long -term disabilities or deaths. If you have a stroke, your doctor can rate how seriously. A serious stroke means that more brain has been damaged. If there is considerable damage, your doctor can call it a massive stroke. This can mean that there can be serious complications.

After a stroke, you can develop complications.

• Dangerous blood clots can form – If you cannot move for a long time, you can increase your risk of developing blood clots in the deep veins of the legs. In some cases, blood clots can come loose and travel into the lungs. Your stroke team can try to prevent these complications with medicine or a device, exerts pressure on your calves to let your blood flow.

• Loss of bladder or stool control can occur – Some strokes affect the muscles that are required to urinate and intestinal movements. You may need a urinary catheter (a tube placed in the bladder) until you can urinate yourself. The use of these catheters can lead to infections in the urinary tract. You can also lose control of your intestine or be clogged.

• Loss of bone density or strength is also common – This usually happens on one side of the body. The physical activity to part of your rehabilitation can help prevent this loss. Your care team can also pay close attention to osteoporosis.

• Muscle weakness or inability to move can also occur – A stroke can cause your muscles to become weak and stiff or lead to the cramp. This can be painful or make it difficult to stand or walk yourself. You may also have problems with the balance or control of your muscles. This is that they are at risk.

• Problems with language, thinking or memory are another possible complication – Stroke can influence your ability to concentrate on a task or to make decisions quickly. It also increases the risk of dementia.

• Sales can occur – This is more common in the weeks after a stroke and less likely over time. If you have seizures, your Stroke team may give you medication to control them.

• swelling in the brain is also possible – After a stroke, a liquid can build up between the brain and the skull or in the cavities of the brain, which leads to swelling. Doctors can drain liquid out of the brain or cut part of the skull to relieve the pressure that the liquid exerts on its brain.

• You can experience a loss of visual, hearing loss or touch – Your ability to feel pain or temperatures can be affected after a stroke, or you may have problems seeing or hearing before. Some of these changes can affect your ability to cook, read, change or change your clothes.

• You can have problems to have swallowing and pneumonia – If a stroke influences the muscles used to swallow, it may be difficult for you to eat or drink. There may also be a risk of inhaling food or drinking food. In this case you can develop pneumonia.

• You may have difficulty speaking – If a stroke affects the muscles you speak, you may have problems communicating as easy as before.