SilentandDeadly
Transientischemicattacks（TIAS）,ormini-strokes,resultfromtemporaryinterruptionsofbloodflowtothebrain.Unlikefullstrokes,theypresentsymptomslastinganywherefromafewsecondsto24hours.Rarelydotheycausepermanentneurologicaldamage,buttheyareoftenprecursorsofamajorstroke.
“Ourmessageisquiteclear,”saysDr.RobertAdams,professorofneurologyattheMedicalCollegeofGeorgiainAugust.“TIAS，whilelessseverethanstrokesintheshortterm,arequitedangerousandneedaquickdiagnosisandtreatmentaswellasappropriatefollow-uptopreventfutureinjury.”
Unfortunately,mini-strokesaregreatlyunderdiagnosed.AstudyconductedfortheNationalStrokeAssociationindicatesthat2.5%ofalladultsaged18orolder（about4.9millionpeopleintheU.S.）haveexperiencedaconfirmedTIA.Anadditional1.2millionAmericansovertheageof45,thestudyshowed,havemostlikelysufferedamini-strokewithoutrealizingit.Thesefindingssuggestthatifthepublicknewhowtospotthesymptomsofstroke,especiallymini-strokes,andsoughtpromptmedicaltreatment,thousandsoflivescouldbesavedandmajordisabilitycouldbeavoided.
Theproblemisthatthesymptomsofamini-strokeareoftensubtleandpassing.Nonetheless,therearesignsyoucanlookoutfor:
Numbnessorweaknessintheface,armorleg,especiallyononesideofthebody.
Troubleseeinginoneorbotheyes.
Confusionanddifficultyspeakingorunderstanding.
Difficultywalking,dizzinessorlossofcoordination.
Severeheadachewithnoknowncause.
Alongwiththesesymptoms,researchershaveidentifiedsomekeyindicatorsthatincreaseyourchancesofhavingafull-blownstrokeafteraTIA:ifyou''reover60,haveexperiencedsymptomslastinglongerthan10minutes,feelweakandhaveahistoryofdiabetes.
Aswithmanydiseases,youcanhelpyourselfbychangingyourlifestyle.Thefirstthingsyoushoulddoarequitsmoking,limityourintakeofalcoholtonomorethanadrinkortwoadayandincreaseyourphysicalactivity.Eventhosewhosufferfromhighbloodpressureordiabetescanimprovetheirodds—andminimizecomplicationsiftheydohaveastroke—bykeepingtheirillnessundercontrol.
Ifyouexperienceanyofthesymptoms,yourfirstcallshouldbetoyourdoctor.Itcouldbethecallthatsavesyourlife.
1.WhichofthefollowingisNOTtrueofmini-strokes?
A.Thecauseofthemremainsunidentified.
2.Topreventmini-strokesfromturningintomajorstrokes,itisimportantto
C.seekpromptmedicaltreatment.
3.Thepassageindicatesthatthesymptomsofmini-strokes
B.arefrequentlyhardtorecognize.
4.Allofthefollowingmaybesignsofmini-strokesEXCEPTfor
D.severeheadachecausedbyexternalinjury.
5.Itcanbeinferredfromthepassagethatmini-strokesare
B.silentanddeadly.
|
|
