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Stroke Myths By Dr. Shaye Moskowitz
Myth 1: There was a warning sign, I was having a stroke. A stroke is the sudden loss of blood supply to a part of the brain. Typically, a clot blocks flow and the brain down stream of that vessel stops working. What we see clinically is what the brain is not able to do. Since this is sudden, they rarely are warning signs to the stroke itself. There are circumstances where mini strokes (TIAs) happen and warn that there may be a bigger future stroke that could happen, but those are exceptions. The best approach is to know what the signs of a stroke are so when it happens, it quickly recognized. Myth 2: I cannot have atrial fibrillation because I don’t feel anything so why do I need a blood thinner? Atrial fibrillation, particularly the kind that comes and goes, increases the risk of having a stroke. In fact, the overall risk is estimated at 5% per year and approximately 5 times the rate of the average population. Blood
thinners are important to reduce that risk. Unfortunately, many people have fibrillation without any sensation that there is a problem, and many people feel their heart racing even when they are not in atrial fibrillation. How someone feels is a poor predictor of whether they have atrial fibrillation and whether they need a blood thinner to reduce their stroke risk. Myth 3: There’s nothing to do about a stroke. Historically, there were few treatment options for stroke and hopeful recovery, rehabilitation and prevention were all the health care field could offer. This could not be further from the truth. Treatment options include medications to dissolve the clot, procedures to physically remove larger blockage or surgeries to address pressure from a brain bleed, and are options for select patients. Of course, recovery, rehabilitation and prevention are still important! Myth 4: An aneurysm is an instant death sentence.
An aneurysm is a weak spot on the wall a blood vessel that is feeding the brain. While the rupture of that aneurysm overall carries high mortality, it is an infrequent event and the risk only accumulates over years. In fact, aneurysms are fairly common and are seen in approximately 5% of the population. The vast majority, however, do nothing. Since some do unfortunately, we have to make decisions individually considering not just the aneurysm but the other risk factors someone might have to justify a repair. Broward Health Medical Center received certification from The Joint Commission as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center, reflecting the highest level of expertise for the treatment of serious stroke events. This certification signifies that the hospitals’ stroke program meets rigorous standards for providing care to all stroke patients including endovascular embolization and surgical clipping of brain aneurysms, tPA administration and mechanical endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), a minimally invasive procedure used to remove a blood clot from the brain during an ischemic stroke.
“No Walker, No Cane,
I Feel Great!”
- Teresa, hip replacement surgery patient Read her full story at BrowardHealth.org/Patient-Stories
RESTORE YOUR MOBILITY & GET BACK TO THE LIFE YOU LOVE After a successful left hip replacement three years ago, Teresa returned to our experienced orthopaedic surgical team when her right hip pain began limiting her ability to walk upright. She is once again pain free and enjoying life. Broward Health Medical Center’s Joint Replacement Program and team of specialists provide personalized care to help restore your mobility and get you back to the life you love.
For more information, call our Joint Replacement Center Coordinator at 954.712.4274.
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