May is National Stroke Awareness Month, so it’s a good time to brush up on your knowledge concerning strokes as they are the fourth leading cause of death and one of the leading causes of disability in the US. One of the biggest reasons you should learn everything there is to know about strokes is because 80% of all strokes are preventable! Take our quiz on strokes now and test your knowledge against the facts, dispel myths, and learn how to protect yourself!
1. Which of the following is the definition of a stroke?
A. When a blood clot stops blood flow through the heart
B. When a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or it ruptures, depriving the brain of blood
C. When a blood clot in the legs prevents blood from travelling through the body to deliver oxygen
D. None of the above
2. True or false? During a stroke, every minute counts because, on average, 1.9 million brain cells die every minute that a stroke goes untreated; fast treatment can lessen the damage caused to the brain and leads to higher survival rates and lower disability rates.
3. Stroke symptoms and what to do if a stroke is suspected can be remembered by the acronym B.E. F.A.S.T. Which of the following are the warning signs and actions it stands for?
A. Balance loss; Eye/vision changes; Face drooping on one side; Arm weakness; Speech difficulty; Time to call 911
B. Bad chest pain; Emotional instability; Fast heartbeat; Aortic pain; Shortness of breath; Tinnitus
C. Broken train of thought; Emphysema; Faint heartbeat; Asthmatic breathing; Slow speech; Tachycardia
D. None of the above
4. In addition to balance loss, vision changes, drooping face, arm weakness, and difficulty speaking, which of the following are other signs of a stroke?
A. Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially if it’s just on one side of the body, and/or trouble walking
B. Confusion, trouble speaking, memory loss, dizziness, and/or difficulty understanding speech
C. A severe headache with no known cause
D. All of the above
5. True or false? A person having a stroke may not realize they are having a stroke, a condition called anosagnosia, due to the lack of blood flow to the brain, or they may ignore the signs of a stroke; so it’s usually up to people around the stroke victim to recognize the signs and act fast.
6. Which of the following are risk factors within your control that increase your risk for stroke?
A. Having high blood pressure
B. Smoking
C. Eating a poor diet
D. Being physically inactive
E. Not controlling health issues like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, and more
F. All of the above
7. True or false? Only the elderly have to worry about having a stroke.
8. Which of the following is a risk factor for stroke that is outside of your control?
A. Age. Though a stroke can occur at any age, the likelihood of having a stroke increases with age.
B. Gender. Women have more strokes than men.
C. Race. Black people have a much higher risk of death from a stroke than white people do.
D. Family History of Stroke and Prior Stroke, TIA, and/or Heart Attack. Having any of the previous increases the likelihood of having a stroke.
E. All of the above
9. Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability in the US. Which of the following are long-term effects of stroke?
A. Problems with balance and physical activities like walking and using your hands and arms
B. Pain and changes in sensations
C. Difficulty with self-control, emotions, and memory
D. Fatigue and poor sleep
E. Incontinence
F. All of the above
10. True or false? With early treatment, stroke is not always a death sentence and long-term effects can be lessened thanks to medications, procedures, surgeries, and rehabilitative therapies.
Compiled by ERIKA ALDRICH / Information provided by the American Stroke Association, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
ANSWERS:
- B. A stroke occurs in the brain
- True
- A. Balance loss; Eye/vision changes; Face drooping on one side; Arm weakness; Speech difficulty; Time to call 911
- D. All of the above
- True
- F. All of the above
- False. Strokes can occur at any age.
- E. All of the above
- F. All of the above
- True