It was quite a shock for many when actor Luke Perry died at the age of 52 following a massive stroke.
His death highlights how sudden a stroke can strike.
However, could a person’s age play a factor in the risk of suffering one?
A medical professional told KRIS 6 News that in general, there are two types of stokes. The most common one occurs when the arteries of the brain are blocked by a blood clot.
The other is when the arteries in the brain burst, causing rapid bleeding. Doctors say this can happen to anybody.
Christus Spohn Shoreline’s Stroke Medical Director Dr. Morgan Campbell III says he has seen an increase in the number of younger stroke patients coming into the hospital within the last 10 years.
Doctors say personal health can play a major role when leading up to a stroke.
Campbell says strokes can occur suddenly with no warning signs. A stroke could also come with no pain at all.
This can leave the individual unable to speak or use parts of their body and even in some cases can cause vision loss.
Dr. Campbell says the BE FAST method is an excellent way to stay alert for symptoms.
“B stands for Balance, set of onset of balance difficulty, severe vertigo, the room spinning around in circles. E would be for eyes … vision loss. F is for your face, if you have a facial droop. A would be arm. If your arm is weak you can’t raise your arm up. The S would be speech, you have slurred speech or you can’t speak at all or you’re just speaking gibberish. T is for time so that means time is brewing and time to call 911,” Campbell said.
Following this method could lead to a better chance of recovery in the event of an onset of a stroke.
