Strokes

[Colonel Hogan]

heart attacks and strokes may be similiar, but taking an aspirin during a heart attack may be highly beneficial to you while doing so during a stroke might just send your ass to the morgue.

Some new information on that.

Aspirin Taken Right After a Stroke May Prevent a Second One

June 1, 2000 -- Chalk another one up for aspirin: Researchers have concluded that giving aspirin to stroke victims as soon as they arrive at the hospital reduces their risk of having a second stroke.

What's more, he says, it appears to be beneficial to give aspirin to stroke victims right away even if doctors aren't 100% sure which type of stroke the patient has had.

There are two kinds of strokes: ischemic stroke, caused by a clot that blocks a blood vessel supplying the brain with blood, and hemorrhagic or bleeding stroke, caused by a leaky blood vessel that bleeds into the brain. A CT scan of the head can help a doctor determine if a stroke is the ischemic or hemorrhagic type.

Aspirin, which thins the blood and thereby prevents clots, is currently used to reduce the long-term risks of a second stroke in patients who've had an ischemic stroke. But giving aspirin to patients who've had a hemorrhagic stroke is considered dangerous, as it can cause more bleeding and more damage.

******************

Peto and colleagues analyzed the results of two very large studies, involving a total of 40,000 stroke patients, and found that compared to patients who didn't get aspirin, a third fewer of the patients who received aspirin had a recurrent stroke. Put another way, giving aspirin to 1,000 people prevented about nine deaths or recurrent strokes.

Even hemorrhagic stroke patients who were inadvertently given aspirin did reasonably well, says Peto. "There were about 800 patients who, in retrospect, had probably been misdiagnosed and they weren't any worse off than patients who hadn't received aspirin.

"I think aspirin should become routine for suspected stroke in the way that it is for suspected heart attack," he says. "What we have shown is that ... the sooner you go ahead and act, the better, in terms of avoiding recurrence."

http://www.webmd.com/stroke/news/20000601/aspirin-after-stroke-helps-prevent-another?page=2

Also, when taking aspirin in response to a heart attack or stroke, the experts advise CHEWING a full strength 325 mg. NON-ENTERIC-COATED tablet. Simply swallowing the pill whole like you would for a headache doesn't get the medication into your bloodstream quickly enough.

 

[doowdniw]

Fata, sorry to hear about your friend.

As a word of encouragement, I can tell you that even though your friends symptoms sound severe, it is possible that she may be able to recover. Only time will tell.

Many years ago, a paralegal in my firm suffered a massive stroke while giving birth. She was in her late twenties, and by all appearances a healthy and robust individual. There were no prior indicators of her risk. She was disabled to the point of requiring court-ordered guardianships of both her person and estate. But she was a fighter, and had access to excellent therapy and a supportive family. It took several years of nearly constant rehabilitation, but one of my most satisfying moments in practice was finally going before the court, with her present and testifying, to have both of her guardianships lifted. She was still stuck in a wheelchair, but compared to where she had been, that wheelchair was a minor inconvenience.

 

[Fata Morgana]

Thank you everyone for the wonderful advice and tips. She's doing well with her speech therapy apparently which is great news.

 

[DesEsseintes]

Thank you everyone for the wonderful advice and tips. She's doing well with her speech therapy apparently which is great news.

In entirely other news, Fata, I bought one of these today. When are you coming over? Because it will be gone by midnight.

 

[Fata Morgana]

In entirely other news, Fata, I bought one of these today. When are you coming over? Because it will be gone by midnight.

Oh sweet Mother of Mercy.

 

[doowdniw]

In entirely other news, Fata, I bought one of these today. When are you coming over? Because it will be gone by midnight.

I confess I didn't know that sugar came in so many variants.

 

[gravyrug]

Thank you everyone for the wonderful advice and tips. She's doing well with her speech therapy apparently which is great news.

Excellent news. May she continue to improve.

We had a bit of a scare last year, and Mrs Rug turned out to have had a few of the TIAs the Colonel mentioned earlier. Change of meds, and that particular problem seems to be sorted (fingers crossed). Other relatives have had various kinds of strokes, with wildly varying effects. It seems to depend a lot on the individual circumstances.

Blessings and hugs.