STROKE SCREENINGS SCHEDULED WEDNESDAY

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, yet many people don't even know what it is."I'm always surprised at the number of people who don't know that a stroke affects the brain," said Kathy O'Howell, a nurse in the Generations Family Resource Center at Southeast Missouri Hospital.The hospital will sponsor a free stroke screening Wednesday.Strokes are caused when a blood clot or burst blood vessel cuts off the flow of blood to an area of the brain. Strokes kill 150,000 Americans annually and are the leading cause of disability in adults.Symptoms of a stroke include numbness or weakness (especially on one side, trouble talking or understanding speech, dimness or loss of vision, sudden severe headache or dizziness and unusual clumsiness or falls.Knowing the symptoms of stroke is important, O'Howell said, because of the importance of early treatment."The earlier a stroke victim seeks treatment, the more likely the stroke can be stopped or reversed," she said.Even more important is knowing the risk factors of stroke and doing what you can to prevent them, she said. Some of the risk factors that can be controlled are:* High blood pressure.* Cigarette smoking.* Heart disease.* High cholesterol.* Excessive weight or alcohol use. Lifestyle modifications that can play a major role in stroke prevention are quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, regular exercise, controlling high blood pressure, cholesterol level and sodium intake. The screening will be Wednesday morning at the Main Street Fitness Center in Jackson. Screenings, which are free except for an optional lipid profile for $10, are by appointment only. By Monday afternoon there were still a few appointment times left. For information on appointments, call 651-5825.

STROKE SCREENINGS

Wednesday morning

Main Street Fitness Center, Jackson

For appointment, call 651-5825