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The American Heart Association recommends that we should consume less than 1500 mg of sodium per day. However, the average American consumes over 3400 mg of sodium daily. Sodium is hidden in many foods, and the sodium content is extremely high in restaurant foods, prepared or canned foods, soups and condiments. There is about 600 mg in a ¼ tsp of table salt, so be careful not to add salt to your foods! Substitute pepper, seasonings or lemon juice to add some flavor to your foods.
Why is this so important? Taking in too much salt can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure), heart attack, stroke and can also damage the kidneys. Excess sodium intake leads to fluid retention, and as more fluid is added to the vascular system, the blood pressure will rise. Hypertension makes the heart work harder, damages the blood vessels, and can eventually lead to a heart attack. High blood pressure is also hard on the kidneys and is a risk factor for stroke.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, if Americans reduced their salt intake by 1200 mg per day, we could greatly improve our health. We could decrease the number of coronary heart disease patients by 90,000 a year; the number of stokes by 49,000 a year; the number of heart attacks by 76,000 a year; the number of deaths from all causes by 68,000 a year. Now, that is a pretty good reason to put down the salt shaker!
Answer submitted by Melissa Leguillon APN, CNP, Cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner at Provena Mercy Medical Center
There are conditions that can increase your risk for stroke. These risk factors include high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, heart disease, heavy alcohol use, physical inactivity and obesity, atrial fibrillation and family or personal history of stroke. Some of the above items are controllable and others are part of our genetics (uncontrollable). Also those individuals who have certain clotting disorders (Factor V Leiden or Antiphospholipid syndrome) are at a higher risk for stroke, because of the increased tendency to develop clots.
In regards to migraine, research has shown that those individuals who experience migraines with a visual aura are at an increased risk of stroke, particularly women with other medical conditions associated with stroke (Stroke, 2007). The Visual aura is the phase during a migraine attack in which a disturbance of vision occurs. Usually a patient will see flashes of white and/or black or multicolored lights dazzling zigzag lines. The aura is experienced for approximately 5-20 minutes. Some patients have blurred, cloudy or tunneled vision. It is important to know your history as well as learn as much as you can regarding your family’s medical history-It may just save your life.
Answer submitted by Jennifer Fasano, Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Nurse, & Stroke Coordinator at Provena Mercy Medical Center.
Yes. Early medical intervention can possibly stop or reverse the effects of a stroke.
There two ways this is possible – either a patient receives tPA (a clot busting medication, given through an IV) or the patient receives an interventional procedure by an interventional neuro radiologist (INR). The INR is a physician who attempts to correct the problem that is causing the stroke (clot, brain aneurysm, etc) by passing a catheter up into the vessels of the brain with access through the patients groin. Both of the above treatments are time sensitive and have specific criteria that need to be met in order for them to be possible options for a patient. Please remember that at the first sign or symptom of a stroke call 911.
Answer submitted by Jennifer Fasano, Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Nurse, & Stroke Coordinator at Provena Mercy Medical Center.
