New Jersey Neuroscience Institute: Keep Your Heart Healthy To Minimize Risk For Stroke
EDISON, NJ—February is Heart Health Month. “When it comes to preventing stroke, keeping your heart healthy is at the top of the list,” says Dr. Nikolaos Papamitsakis, Director of the Stroke Service at the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center in Edison.
Says Papamitsakis, “Certain factors put you at increased risk for a stroke, and heart health is one of them. High blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes-caused atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, diet and activity level are all about heart health and all relate to stroke risk.”
The risks should not go without concern. High blood pressure, for instance, increases stroke risk by as much as four times in younger patients. Atrial fibrillation (an unusually fast and irregular beating of the upper two chambers of the heart), increases stroke risk up to six times.
“Recognizing the relation of heart health and stroke is the first line of defense in taking care of your heart health and ultimately preventing stroke,” says Papamitsakis.
Stroke can result in irreversible, permanent, and debilitating damage. It is the leading cause of disability and the third-leading cause of death in the United States. Each year, approximately 750,000 Americans experience stroke, with about 160,000 of them dying and another 250,000 severely or permanently disabled. In New Jersey alone, more than 26,000 people were admitted with the primary diagnosis of a stroke in 2001. Many of these people are left with impaired mobility, independence and communication–which in turn can lead to decreased socialization, financial instability, depression and other problems. There were 4,316 deaths due to stroke among New Jersey residents in 2000.
It’s important to know the signs and symptoms of stroke:
Sudden weakness, numbness, and tingling, often on one side of the
body
Abrupt slurring of speech or difficulty understanding others
Sudden confusion
Sudden difficulty walking or keeping balance (dizziness)
Sudden loss of coordination
Sudden and extremely severe headaches
Any abrupt change in your ability to do simple things, like tie a
knot or brush your teeth
And important to know what to do--if you or someone you know is experiencing one or more of these symptoms, get to the emergency room or stroke treatment center immediately. But it’s also important to know how to protect your heart to prevent stroke in the first place. Papmitsakis advises, “Keep your heart healthy. Be active, eat healthy, monitor and manage your stress, cholesterol, diabetes, and any heart disease. Put your heart health first and you can minimize the risk for stroke.”
The New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center is a comprehensive facility designed exclusively for the diagnosis, treatment, and research of complex neurological and neurosurgical disorders in adults and children. Services offered at the Institute include programs in minimally-invasive and reconstructive spine surgery, peripheral nerve surgery, brain tumors, dizziness and balance disorders, epilepsy, sleep, memory problems/dementia, cerebral palsy, stroke, and spasticity and movement disorders. As a department of Seton Hall University's School of Graduate Medical Education, NJNI serves as the clinical setting for SHU's residency training in neurology. For more information on the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute, call 732-321-7950 or visit the facility online at www.njneuro.org.