Medical experts warn of the rising risk of strokes among residents under the age of 65 and the critical need for community education across the Upper Cumberland.
Livingston Regional Hospital Clinical Educator Kaitlyn Wright said early intervention is vital for survivability and requires people outside of the healthcare profession to recognize stroke symptoms. Wright said she has developed educational materials for local schools and is utilizing various platforms to provide community education.
“I think a lot of often times lack of education contributes to a lot of a lot of negative outcomes, poor outcomes with patients as far as survivability goes,” Wright said. “If they can recognize a stroke faster, then I can intervene faster and the patient can get treatment faster versus, like if it’s delayed and they just decide to overlook it and overlook it, and overlook it and then they come to the ER too late, then that can be a problem.”
Wright said the hospital utilizes the BE FAST acronym to teach people how to identify issues with balance and eyes. Wright said individuals outside of a hospital setting should immediately call 911 if they recognize these signs, while children should alert an adult in addition to calling emergency services. Wright said changes in lifestyle is one of the biggest risk factors for stroke victims of all ages.
“A long time ago, everybody would have been out working a garden and and having a lot more mobility and function like that, and now we spend a lot more time on the computer and on the phone and in sedentary positions, not as active,” Wright said. “And just the food and all the hormones and things.”
Wright said a code stroke is called within the hospital to trigger a rapid response from a team that determines if a patient requires a transfer or can stay for treatment. Outside of the hospital, Wright said people should immediately call 911 if they recognize early warning signs like loss of balance, vision changes or arm droopiness.
“Knowledge sharing is is key to just I mean if if I have a piece of information and I keep it to myself, it’s not going to do any good,” Wright said. “So I need to share it with those that I know.”
Wright said sedentary habits from cellphones and computers as well as modern diets, have contributed to the shift in stroke demographics. Wright said maintaining an active lifestyle, eating a healthy diet and finding ways to decompress from stress are essential preventative measures for younger populations.
Wright said the elderly population should prioritize routine check-ups so healthcare providers can identify warning signs of blood clots.
“It’s Stroke Awareness Month, so we celebrate it all month, not just this week,” Wright said.