SSM Health Medical Minute: Knowing the signs of a stroke chameleon
ST. LOUIS – Stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is disrupted. Time is critical if you or someone you love is having a stroke. Call 911 immediately to ensure the best possible outcome. The longer the brain is without oxygen, the more severe the damage is likely to be.
BE FAST is a common acronym that identifies the most common symptoms of an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke: Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, and Time. However, posterior circulation strokes and stroke chameleons are often overlooked medical emergencies that may not follow the common stroke-related symptoms.
Dr. Chizoba Ezepue, a vascular neurologist and neurointerventionalist at SSM Health DePaul Hospital, says posterior circulation strokes make up about 20% of ischemic strokes and often affect the back of the brain. He says non-specific symptoms can appear as dizziness, double vision or even severe sleepiness.
“What people look out for when you show up in emergency room is focal symptoms, right? Weakness on one side, facial droop, blur, revision, slurred speech, sensory loss, mostly on one side,” he said. “But stroke chameleons can present like just generalized weakness, vertigo, headache. there are so many other symptoms, even fever, that can occur in a patient. That stroke will be the last thing you want to think about in those patients.”
Ezepue highlights the urgency of recognizing the unusual symptoms quickly for the best chance at recovery.
“The most rewarding part is that you meet these people at their most desperate, you know, part of their lives,” he said. “And within the next hour, within the next week or so, they’re completely different. And you walk into a room and someone is looking at you and thanking you for helping to save their life.”
While advances in treatment have increased the odds of survival, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of having a stroke, including: stopping smoking; making healthy food choices low in saturated fat, trans fat, salt, and added sugars; staying at a healthy weight; being physically active; and taking all medications as prescribed.
To learn more about the signs and symptoms of stroke or to find a physician, click here.
The SSM Health Medical Minute airs Wednesdays on News 11 at 7 p.m. and FOX 2 News at 9 p.m.
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