What is a Stroke?
Stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. It is the 5th leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States.
A stroke basically happens to the body in response to blood flow being blocked to the brain.
80% of strokes are predictable and preventable.
Strokes occur when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it and brain cells die.(*)
Types
A stroke can happen in two main ways: Something blocks the flow of blood, or something causes bleeding in the brain.
Ischemic stroke
In 8 out of 10 strokes, a blood vessel that takes blood to your brain gets plugged. It happens when fatty deposits in arteries break off and travel to the brain or when poor blood flow from an irregular heartbeat forms a blood clot.
Hemorrhagic stroke
It’s less common than an ischemic stroke but can be more serious. A blood vessel in your brain balloons up and bursts, or a weakened one leaks. Uncontrolled high blood pressure and taking too much blood thinner medicine can lead to this kind of stroke.
Some people have what’s called a transient ischemic attack (TIA). This “mini stroke” is due to a temporary blockage. It doesn’t cause permanent brain damage, but it raises your odds of having a full-scale stroke.
What are some common causes of strokes?
Someone is at risk of having a stroke if they suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and diabetes are leading causes of stroke. 1 in 3 US adults has at least one of these conditions or habits. (*)
You can treat some conditions that make you more likely to have a stroke. Other things that put you at risk can’t be changed:
High blood pressure
Your doctor may call it hypertension. It’s the biggest cause of strokes. If your blood pressure is typically 130/80 or higher, your doctor will discuss treatments with you.
Tobacco
Smoking or chewing it raises your odds of a stroke. Nicotine makes your blood pressure go up. Cigarette smoke causes a fatty buildup in your main neck artery. It also thickens your blood and makes it more likely to clot. Even secondhand smoke can affect you.
Heart disease
This condition includes defective heart valves as well as atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, which causes a quarter of all strokes among the very elderly. You can also have clogged arteries from fatty deposits.
Diabetes
People who have it often have high blood pressure and are more likely to be overweight. Both raise the chance of a stroke. Diabetes damages your blood vessels, which makes a stroke more likely. If you have a stroke when your blood sugar levels are high, the injury to your brain is greater.
Weight and exercise
Your chances of a stroke may go up if you’re overweight. You can lower your odds by working out every day. Take a brisk 30-minute walk, or do muscle-strengthening exercises like pushups and working with weights.
Medications
Some medicines can raise your chances of stroke. For instance, blood-thinning drugs, which doctors suggest to prevent blood clots, can sometimes make a stroke more likely through bleeding. Studies have linked hormone therapy, used for menopause symptoms like hot flashes, with a higher risk of strokes. And low-dose estrogen in birth control pills may also make your odds go up.
Age
Anyone could have a stroke, even babies in the womb. Generally, your chances go up as you get older. They double every decade after age 55.
Family
Strokes can run in families. You and your relatives may share a tendency to get high blood pressure or diabetes. Some strokes can be brought on by a genetic disorder that blocks blood flow to the brain.
Gender
Women are slightly less likely to have a stroke than men of the same age. But women have strokes at a later age, which make them less likely to recover and more likely to die as a result.
Race
Strokes affect African-Americans and nonwhite Hispanic Americans much more often than any other group in the U.S. Sickle cell disease, a genetic condition that can narrow arteries and interrupt blood flow, is also more common in these groups and in people whose families came from the Mediterranean, the Middle East, or Asia.(*)
Heart Rate Variability and Stroke Risk
Heart rate variability (HRV) is the variation in time between heartbeats. Lower HRV is linked to higher stroke risk in several ways:
Increased Stroke Risk
People with reduced HRV have a higher chance of having a stroke, especially if they have high blood pressure. Lower HRV shows problems with the body’s autonomic control system. This can contribute to stroke development.
Worse Outcomes After Stroke
After someone has a stroke, their HRV is significantly altered. Lower HRV in the acute stroke phase is associated with higher death rates and poorer recovery.
Higher Chance of Recurring Strokes
Specific HRV measures like lower time-domain, frequency-domain, and non-linear parameters indicate an increased risk of having another stroke and complications after the first one. Recovery is also slower.
Predicting Worsening Strokes
The complexity of HRV patterns can predict if an acute ischemic stroke will worsen over time. Lower complexity means a higher risk of the stroke symptoms getting worse.
Monitoring Recovery
Continuously tracking HRV in stroke patients provides insights into their autonomic function. This data can guide treatment plans, predict complications, and assess their long-term outlook.In essence, an irregular, less variable heart rate pattern reflects autonomic dysfunction. This is an important risk factor and prognostic marker for stroke occurrence, severity, complications, and recovery.
What are the signs of a stroke?
Here is how you can determine if someone is having a stroke.
F.A.S.T. Warning Signs
Use the letters in F.A.S.T to spot a Stroke
- F = Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
- A = Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- S = Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred?
- T = Time to call 911
Other Stroke Symptoms
Watch for Sudden:
- NUMBNESS or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- CONFUSION, trouble speaking or understanding speech
- TROUBLE SEEING in one or both eyes
- TROUBLE WALKING, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- SEVERE HEADACHE with no known cause
Use a Health Tracker To Monitor and Prevent Stroke
Health trackers can help monitor and prevent the risk of stroke in several ways.
Fitness trackers can monitor heart rate and rhythm, detecting conditions like atrial fibrillation which increase stroke risk. They can also track physical activity levels, as a sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor for stroke.
Some trackers can monitor sleep patterns, which when disrupted after a stroke, can guide treatment decisions. They can also detect potential sleep apnea, which is linked to increased stroke risk if left untreated.
By providing continuous data on vital signs like blood pressure, heart rate/rhythm, physical activity, and sleep, fitness trackers allow for better monitoring and management of key stroke risk factors compared to annual doctor visits alone. This empowers patients and doctors to take preventive action before a stroke occurs.
Founder Jim French on Losing His Sibling to Stroke
In February 2020 (yeah 2020 sucked), my 58 year old sister passed from a stroke in her sleep. She had challenging life riddled with pain and nerve damage from what was likely chronic Lyme’s disease. She passed from a stroke in her sleep and was not discovered until morning. Without knowing the details, I can’t help but wonder how her death could not be detected or possibly avoided. Especially given the current state of technology available to everyone.
I understand the risk of false positives. I’ve researched several examples of strokes being detected by fitness trackers. I understand that there is legal risk in relying on a consumer device to detect and react to such events. They may not be medical quality but are better than nothing.
Did you know that anger and other negative emotions can trigger an ischemic stroke?
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