May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Did you know? Someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds, and dies from stroke every four minutes. You can help combat this killer by arming yourself with the facts.

Memorial Hermann Mischer Neuroscience Associates, and UTHealth Neurosciences physicians affiliated with Memorial Hermann Mischer Neurosciences are setting the record straight on common stroke myths.

Read the answers; following are the myths:

While they share many of the same risk factors, a heart attack affects the heart, while a stroke affects the brain. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, depriving brain tissue of oxygen.

There are two major types of stroke; Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, resulting in bleeding in the surrounding tissue. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks a vessel carrying blood to the brain, cutting off blood supply to the brain.

While genetic factors can contribute to stroke risk, up to 80 percent of strokes are preventable by managing risk factors. To prevent stroke, maintain healthy blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Maintain a healthy body weight. Get regular exercise. And also, please dont smoke.

Ischemic stroke can be treated with a clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), which must be administered within 3 to 4.5 hours of the onset of stroke. Certain types of ischemic stroke can be treated by prescribing medication, surgically removing the blood clot or repairing the ruptured blood vessel.

A transient ischemic attack (TIA), is a medical emergency that occurs when stroke symptoms last less than 24 hours without treatment. A TIA is a very strong predictor of a stroke; a person who has suffered one or more TIAs is almost 10 times more likely to have a stroke.

Your risk for stroke increase with age, but a stroke can occur at any age. In fact, the rate of stroke among people between the ages of 18 and 65 is on the rise, given increases in obesity, elevated cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure among this population.

Strokes run in families, as many of the chronic diseases that put a person at a higher risk for strokeincluding hypertension, diabetes and obesityrun in families. In addition, certain genetic conditions can run in families, which increase the risk of forming blood clots that can lead to stroke.

While most of the healing takes place in the first few months after a stroke, recoverythrough physical therapy and other treatmentscan continue for years.

Aspirin is used to prevent ischemic strokes in people who have either already had a stroke, or who have risk factors for stroke. Aspirin can actually worsen a hemorrhagic stroke. If you experience stroke symptoms, avoid taking aspirin and call 911 immediately.

Both the Joint Commission and Det Norske Veritas (DNV) certify hospitals that meet certain standards for care of acute stroke, designating them as Comprehensive Stroke Centers (CSCs) and Primary Stroke Centers (PSCs). While both are advanced designations, CSCs are the most advanced.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with a neurologist in The Woodlands, visit memorialhermann.org/stroke or call 713.897.5900.

Source: Memorial Hermann Health System

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Stroke Myths: Find Out the Facts - hellowoodlands.com