Health Notes, January 24th 2010, by Sarah Stacey

Stroke alert – act FAST

One Thursday morning in June 2008, mother of two Nikki Camp, an insurance company auditor, was feeling even more stressed than usual.  ‘I had a big day ahead, with two reports to write. I didn’t feel right when I left the house with my husband Daniel driving me and the children.  We dropped the children off and it got worse; I felt hot and clammy, and a bit nauseous.  Daniel said my skin went grey, with a sheen from sweating.’  Ten minutes later, Nikki slumped over to the left in her seat. ‘Daniel saw my face had fallen on one side, I couldn’t sit up, and though I could make a noise when he spoke to me, I couldn’t speak properly.’ 

Daniel called an ambulance immediately.  The paramedics suspected a mini-stroke (transient ischaemic attack, or TIA) and took Nikki to the Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield.  ‘I felt a bit better but when I tried to talk I came out with a completely random set of words.’  A specialist from the new acute stroke team at the hospital immediately recognised that her disturbed speech indicated more serious neurological problems and assessed her to see if she could benefit from intravenous thrombolytic (clot-busting) drugs. 

Thrombolytic drugs must be given within two to four and a half hours of the stroke so, after assessment, Nikki was rushed off for a CT brain scan.  Says Dr Anthony Rudd, consultant physician in stroke medicine at St Thomas’ Hospital London, ‘these drugs are only suitable for strokes caused by blood clots forming in blood vessels rather than haemorrhaging in the brain.  About 85 per cent of strokes are caused by clots which stop blood flowing to the brain, so brain cells die within three to four hours.  If the clots are dissolved and the blood flows again, there’s a good chance the cells will recover.  The effects can be dramatic: I’ve seen patients who would otherwise have died or been very disabled walk out of hospital two days later.’  While speed is of the essence, careful diagnosis is also vital because only 15 to 20 per cent of stroke patients will be suitable for thrombolysis. 

Nikki proved suitable and was given the clotbuster.  ‘The consultant waited 20 seconds, then asked me to count to ten.  Before the drug I’d managed two numbers.  This time I counted straight to ten. It was as if my brain had been a hosepipe with a kink so the correct messages couldn’t get through.  Now it was unkinked and I could think again.’   Nikki left hospital five days later.  She is now ‘perfectly able-bodied, although I do get tired’.  Her stroke was probably caused by high blood pressure, the biggest risk factor, due to her weight of 17 stone, not helped by high stress levels.  She has ‘mended her eating habits, cut out salt and bad fats, and so far lost three stone’.  She exercises a lot, does yoga and, crucially she feels, ‘realised I don’t have to be superwoman – my two priorities are that the mortgage is paid and I can enjoy my children.  It doesn’t matter if the house isn’t tidy and polished.  Once I acknowledged those key elements it became quite simple to manage.’ 

Stroke is the biggest killer after coronary heart disease and the leading cause of severe disability in the UK.  Hospitals nationwide are improving access to acute stroke teams so that more people can potentially benefit from thrombolysis.  Because the best results come when it’s given to appropriate patients in under two to three hours, it’s vital we all remember the acronym FAST to help identify the symptoms of a stroke. 

Facial weakness: can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?

Arm weakness: can the person raise both arms?

Speech problems: can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?

Time to call 999: stroke is a medical emergency – if any of these symptoms apply, call an ambulance. 

More information from the Stroke Association, www.stroke.org.uk, helpline 0845 3033100  

Natural help for viral ear infection

A colleague's 70-something father recently suffered a viral ear infection, which caused dizzy spells and tinnitus ('like a high-pitched buzzing’).  But both cleared up after taking Plantago Tincture by A Vogel, 15 drops three times daily in water, for two weeks. It’s also recommended for glue ear, catarrh and sinusitis. £8.95 for 50 ml from www.victoriahealth.com (with free online postage and your 5% discount). 

Mitts for Mums 
We love Mummy Mitts to combat the excruciating pain of frozen ‘buggy hands’. These black nylon mittens (actually unisex) can be permanently attached to buggy handles, so you never forget them. They’re specifically designed to let you whip a hand in and out so you can answer your mobile, riffle through your purse or do your little one’s coat up.  
£17.00, from www.cuski.co.uk  
 

Website of the week: www.tommy.org/awards

Visit this site if you had complications during pregnancy and want to nominate an Angel or Hero who helped you for Tommy’s Let’s Get Baby Friendly Awards 2010.  (Deadline is mid Feb.)