New bill aims to educate communities on stroke awareness
UC expert featured in Spectrum News story
The University of Cincinnati's Eva Mistry was featured in a Spectrum News story discussing how stroke awareness can save lives in light of a new bill introduced in the Ohio Legislature to designate the first week of May as Stroke Awareness Week.
“A stroke is usually sudden and drastic. It happens completely, you know, you’re fine one second and then you’re not,” said Mistry, MBBS, associate professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine in UC’s College of Medicine and a UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute physician researcher. “So, for a lot of people to kind of comprehend that sudden level of change that is fairly drastic is hard.”
Mistry said blood pressure is the No. 1 risk factor for a stroke.
“Eating healthy, exercising on a daily basis, those kinds of things can help reduce the blood pressure,” Mistry said. “The other risk factors are similar to what your heart disease factors are, so your diabetes, smoking, cholesterol, so taking care of those risk factors if you have them and taking care of your body to make sure you don’t develop risk factors.”
Read or watch the Spectrum News story.
Featured photo at top of Mistry, left, and Stacie Demel, DO. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand.
Remember how to identify a stroke
Because of the quick onset of stroke, it is important to know the FAST mnemonic device that details the most common signs of stroke and how to respond:
- F: Facial drooping
- A: Arm or leg drop, or weakness in the arm or leg
- S: Speech issues, such as slurred speech or an inability to get your words out
- T: Time is of the essence; call 911 immediately
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