出现中风症状的第二个是与时钟的比赛。每一分钟不仅可以增加对大脑的损害，还可以减少恢复的几率。中风发生在大脑中，但它们会影响整个身体，并在思维，运动和言语中造成麻烦。
Recognizing the warning signs of a stroke is key to preventing long-term disability, says医学博士David Zhao，位于北卡罗来纳州温斯顿·塞勒姆的Wake Forest Baptist医疗中心的心脏病学首席和教授。他解释说：“大脑由称为神经元的细胞组成。”“神经元是渴望氧气的细胞。他们需要大量的氧气才能生活和运作。当您切断向这些细胞的氧气供应时，它们只需短时间才能死亡。”神经元无法再生。当它们死亡时，它们被不起正常脑细胞的疤痕组织所取代。
It’s also important to note exactly what time symptoms started, or the last time the person was known to be well, addsVictor C. Urrutia, MD, associate professor of neurology and director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. This determines the treatments中风患者can receive and reduces the likelihood that they will suffer long-term disability, he explains.
Stroke Basics
There are two types of stroke. About 87 percent of strokes are ischemic strokes, according to the美国疾病控制与预防中心(CDC). An ischemic stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked, Dr. Zhao explains. In many cases, blood clots cause the blockages that lead to this type of stroke.
在不到60秒的时间内，缺血性中风会杀死190万个脑细胞，使及时治疗必不可少，中风意识基金会警告。
较不常见的hemorrhagic stroke当大脑中的血管爆发时，就会发生，导致血液池。随着压力在大脑中累积，细胞会受损国家心脏、肺和血液Institute（NHLBI）。
Warning Signs of Stroke
中风症状可能包括：
- 严重的头痛
- 模糊或双视力
- 言语或麻烦说话
- Facial twitching or weakness
- Drooling
- 困惑
- Sudden weakness in an arm or leg, typically on just one side of the body
- 头晕或平衡损失
Zhao指出，人们可能会经历这些症状的一种或组合，这取决于中风的严重程度和受到大脑的部分影响。他警告说，女性的症状也可能不太明显。
“Stroke symptoms are sudden; however, the symptoms can fluctuate or evolve over several hours,” Dr. Urrutia adds. “In other words, the stroke symptoms can improve, get worse, or change after it started.”
Remembering the acronym FAST can help you spot signs and symptoms of stroke: F for face drooping, A for arm weakness, S for speech difficulty, and T for time to get help.
If you notice any signs of a potential stroke, call 911 right away, even if symptoms seem to disappear. Remember to record the time that symptoms started, as this can help doctors guide treatment.
Surviving a Stroke: Timing Treatment
For those having an ischemic stroke, there is a critical three-hour window during which a clot-busting medication known as tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) can be beneficial. It breaks up blood clots in the arteries of the brain, so the sooner this medication is given, the better.
After the time window, ischemic stroke patients are no longer candidates for tPA, Zhao says. The drug is not only less effective, but could also be dangerous. "After a certain period of time, tissues in the brain become injured or weakened," he explains. Giving the clot-buster at that point could cause damaged brain tissue to bleed.
赵说，缺血性中风后，患者必须进行完整的评估，以确定凝块起源以防止复发。他们还可以接受抗血小板药物，以帮助阻止血凝块形成。抗凝剂，通常称为blood thinners, may also be used to prevent new clots, he adds.
医生可能会执行的另一个程序以消除任何阻塞并恢复大脑的血液流动是血管内再通疗。这种治疗,一根管子插入the arteries to re-open blocked vessels, has a time window of effectiveness of about four-and-a-half hours after a stroke — slightly longer than that of tPA. Like clot-busting medication, endovascular recanalization has been shown to reduce disability and improve the chances of being independent after 90 days, Urrutia says.
一些患者可能会经历angioplasty(in which a tiny balloon is placed inside the affected artery to widen it) or a carotid endarterectomy (a procedure to remove plaque buildup from the artery).
For those who have a hemorrhagic stroke, treatment starts with finding and stopping the source of the bleeding. Depending on its cause, next steps could involve blood pressure medication and possibly surgery.
Long-Term Outlook
持续治疗是两管沟：康复，以恢复受中风影响的任何功能，以及防止另一次中风的步骤。
The specifics of rehab depend on what the individual needs. For instance, speech and language therapists can help stroke victims find ways to communicate and improve their memory. Physical and occupational therapists can help those with paralysis or muscle weakness regain strength and relearn how to perform daily tasks, such as getting dressed, eating, and bathing.
Anyone who has had a stroke is at risk of having another one. “That is why it is very important to be on the best prevention regimen and to develop a healthy lifestyle after a stroke,” Urrutia says.
赵说，长期治疗必须关注生活方式的改变，以减少未来中风的风险，包括控制血压，不吸烟，定期运动和吃健康的饮食。
