Every year, nearly 800,000 people suffer a stroke in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC also reports it’s the leading cause of long-term disability and death for Americans.
Fortunately, neither was the case for Shanna Dahlberg of Moose Lake, who had a stroke last September. She found herself at Essentia Health-Moose Lake, where a CT scan confirmed an ischemic stroke, which is a blood clot in an artery that blocks blood flow to the brain.
Dahlberg’s care team knew that time was of the essence and rushed her to Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth to be treated at the region’s only Level I Trauma Center. At St. Mary’s, Dahlberg was cared for by interventional neurologist Dr. Jadhav Vikram, also known as “Dr. Vik” to his patients and colleagues.
“I couldn’t fathom losing my mom,” said Angie Gran, Dahlberg’s daughter.
Once in the Neuro Angio-Suite for Cerebral Arterial Reperfusion at St. Mary’s, a team of providers cleared the clot immediately, and Dahlberg was on a quick road to recovery.
“I’m just so thankful they were able to act fast and help me survive,” the 70-year-old Dahlberg said of Essentia’s hospitals in Moose Lake and Duluth. “I was really impressed with how the two facilities worked together to get me the care I needed and get me on the road to recovery.”
Six days after the stroke, Dahlberg was recovering so well that she was cleared to return to work. After celebrating her 70th birthday in March, she’s thrilled to have no long-term effects from the stroke and is happy to be running the automobile auction dealership she owns in Sturgeon Lake.
According to Dr. Vik, taking care of your body is the best way to prevent a stroke. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes are the leading causes of stroke, with one in three United States adults having at least one of these conditions or habits, according to the CDC.
St. Mary’s Medical Center is a certified Advanced Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Center. As a nationally recognized stroke center, we can care for the most severe types of strokes and offer new treatments. Stroke care at St. Mary’s involves a patient-centered, multidisciplinary approach that speeds up treatment and reduces recovery times for patients, while affording them the resources needed to recover and reduce the risk of future strokes.
One of the surest ways to prevent long-term side effects associated with a stroke is to act fast when signs and symptoms occur. Symptoms are varied and can include sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, confusion or trouble speaking, loss of or blurry vision, dizziness and occasionally a sudden severe headache.
To improve outcomes, there is an easy acronym to remember – BEFAST, which stands for:
- Balance: Does the person have sudden loss of balance?
- Eyes: Has the person lost vision in one or both eyes?
- Face: Smile. Does the side of the face droop?
- Arms: Raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- Speech: Repeat a simple phrase. Is speech slurred or strange?
- Time: If you observe any of these signs, it’s time to call 911 right away.
According to the American Stroke Association, 80% of strokes are preventable. Here are some lifestyle changes that can be made to reduce the risk:
- Lose weight.
- Eat healthy.
- Quit smoking.
- Drink less alcohol.
- Reduce stress.
