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Mercy vascular surgeon Dr. Paul Lucas

Mercy Vascular Surgeon Dr. Paul Lucas Discusses "Women And Warning Strokes" On WBAL-TV11's "Woman's Doctor"

Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the U.S., so doctors said recognizing the symptoms of potential warning strokes and knowing your risk factors are important. Doctors said warning strokes often occur before a real stroke. Almost two years ago, Joan Ruth said she woke up with a severe headache, which was unusual for her because she never got them, and said things took a stranger turn during breakfast with her husband. "He fixed me breakfast and I said, 'This is really good, but I could use some more eggs,' and he says, 'You got eggs over there on the side of your plate.' I did not see them. I couldn't see them," she said. What Ruth didn't know was that she was having a warning stroke -- also known as a mini-stroke or TIA, which stands for transient ischemic attack. She said her husband drove her to the hospital right away, even though she thought it was nothing. Mercy Medical Center vascular surgeon Dr. Paul Lucas said people often don't realize they're having a warning stroke. "When it comes to strokes and neurologic events, time is of the essence. The sooner you can get to a hospital and get it addressed, the better the outcome will likely be," he said. "This picture shows there's some clot breaking off and going up, and the picture next to it shows this area of the brain has been affected by it," the doctor pointed out to 11 News. Recognizing the signs of a stroke is key and shouldn't be ignored, even if the symptoms go away, doctors said. Some of those symptoms include numbness or weakness in the face, leg or arm; unexplained severe headache; confusion or difficulty speaking; dizziness and trouble seeing, as though a lampshade is over your head. Lucas said to make sure you know if you're at risk for a stroke. "People of advanced age, obesity, those with hypertension and people with high cholesterol have risk factors. People with previous cardiovascular events are a risk factor. Smoking certainly is involved," he said. If you are at risk, Lucas said there are some things you can do to help prevent strokes. He said to keep your blood pressure under control, take cholesterol-lowering medication and eat a healthy diet. Ruth said she's taking that advice to heart. "I'm very lucky. The Lord's got something here he wants me to do that I don't know what it is yet," she said. To view Dr. Lucas' interview and for more information, visit this link: http://www.wbaltv.com/womansdoctor/21962861/detail.html.