Q. I hear a lot about knowing the signs of stroke. I'm young - Is it really important to me?

A. A Stroke can happen to anyone at anytime, regardless of race, gender or age, so we all should be aware of the risks, symptoms and prevention.
Some risks for stroke may be out of your control. Risks that you cannot change include being over age 55, male, African-American, having a family history, or a medical condition such as diabetes.

Q. Does a stroke affect the heart? A. Not directly. The heart uses blood vessels just like the brain, but some heart conditions can cause small clots to form possibly traveling to the brain. A stroke or “Brain Attack” is a type of vascular disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. A stroke occurs when an artery that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain bursts or (more commonly) becomes blocked by a clot. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, so it starts to die.

A blood flow screening is an inexpensive test that anyone can request without a doctor’s order.  A blood flow screening can identify potential risk factors associated with the onset of a stroke, circulation to the legs, and abdominal aortic aneurysm.  With the Blood Flow Screening’s brief ultrasound of the carotid arteries in the neck and of the abdomen, and a leg circulation screening, you can discover potential risks in several key areas of your body before your health has been jeopardized.

The blood flow screening identifies: