According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death with stroke as number 6 and diabetes as number 8 in Oklahoma. Our rehab team and providers at Tulsa Rehabilitation Hospital care for patients recovering from stroke and other debilitating diseases, such as aphasia. We wanted to share information about the types and causes of strokes, how various conditions are connected to the occurrence and types of strokes, and sources for stroke prevention. If a stroke has happened, Tulsa Rehabilitation Hospital is here to help people improve their mobility and strength.
TYPES OF STROKE
A stroke often happens in two main ways - bleeding in the brain or a blockage of the flow of blood. In an ischemic stroke, fatty deposits in arteries break off and travel to the brain or there is poor blood flow from an irregular heartbeat that forms a blood clot. In a Hemorrhagic stroke, less common than an ischemic stroke but often more serious, a blood vessel in the brain balloons up and bursts, or a weakened blood vessel leaks. Uncontrolled high blood pressure or even taking too much blood thinner medicine can lead to this kind of stroke. A “mini stroke” is often referred to as a transient ischemic attack (TIA) and is caused by a temporary blockage. It doesn't cause permanent brain damage but is often a warning sign of a future full-scale stroke.
CAUSES OF STROKE
Some conditions that may make you more likely to have a stroke can be treated. Others
cannot be changed.
High blood pressure. Also referred to as hypertension is the biggest cause of strokes. If your blood pressure is typically 130/80 or higher, your doctor will discuss treatments with you.
Use of tobacco. Smoking or chewing tobacco raises the odds of suffering a stroke. Nicotine increases blood pressure and cigarette smoke causes a fatty buildup in your main neck artery. Tobacco also thickens your blood and makes it more likely to clot. Even secondhand smoke can affect your odds of suffering a stroke.
Heart disease. One-quarter of all strokes among the very elderly are caused by defective heart valves and atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat.
Diabetes. The connection between diabetes and stroke has to do with the way the body handles blood glucose to make energy. Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose to give us energy. Glucose enters a person’s bloodstream and travels to cells throughout the body after food is digested. For glucose to enter cells and provide energy, it needs a hormone called insulin. The pancreas is responsible for producing this insulin in the right amounts. In people who have Type 1 diabetes formerly called juvenile diabetes), the pancreas does not make insulin. In people who have Type 2 diabetes, the pancreas makes too little insulin, or muscles, the liver and fat do not use insulin in the right way. As a result, people with untreated diabetes accumulate too much glucose in their blood, and their cells don’t receive enough energy. Over time, excessive blood glucose can result in increased fattydeposits or clots in blood vessels.
ABCs of diabetes.
A —the A1C test, which measures average blood sugar over 2 to 3 months.
B —blood pressure, the force of blood flow inside blood vessels.
C —cholesterol, a group of blood fats that affect the risk of heart attack or
stroke.
S —stop smoking or don't start.
Another important step in stroke prevention is regular physician follow-up with annual
testing.
WHEN STROKE REHABILITATION IS NEEDED
Our inpatient rehabilitation hospital cares for and treats stroke survivors in need of extensive rehabilitation when the stroke, also known as a cardiovascular accident (CVA), has caused a significant decrease in the patient's ability to function day-to-day. We treat patients with a primary diagnosis of stroke, subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage (brain bleed), or a similar diagnosis demonstrating residual weakness, spasticity, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing foods or liquids with lack of coordination of movements). Additionally, we treat patients affected by COVID-19 who, as a result, may have also had a stroke requiring a combination of stroke and cardiopulmonary rehab to regain strength and body function.
SPECIALTY STROKE REHABILITATION SERVICES
Tulsa Rehabilitation Hospital offers patients and their families high-quality stroke rehabilitation care in our beautiful, and comfortable state-of-the-art hospital. Our Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital is specifically designed to meet the needs of our stroke patients, families and caregivers, providing rehabilitation and recovery services that offer a holistic, integrated, and comprehensive approach to acute, intensive inpatient stroke rehabilitation.
SPECIALIZED STROKE TRAINING & EXPERTISE
With a focus on addressing your physical, cognitive, psychological, social, educational, and
work-related needs, our specialized stroke rehabilitation team works together daily, sharing
their expertise to create a comprehensive, well-rounded individualized stroke program just for you. Your medical / therapy treatment team has been specifically trained in stroke rehabilitation and the use of specialized therapeutic modalities designed to get you moving
and functioning to the best of your ability.
For a stroke patient, getting back to living may be as simple as regaining the ability to drive to work, relearn how to say words, get showered and dressed, and socialize with friends and loved ones. Our treatment team uses an interdisciplinary treatment team approach, implementing interventions from Speech Therapists such as speech exercises and cognitive therapy, Physical Therapists focusing on mobility, strength, coordination, and balance, and Occupational Therapists who address activities of daily living, fine motor skills and upper extremity range of motion among other things. These therapy services will use techniques to help memory, concentration and movement of your body to be able to carry out tasks at home, at work and in everyday community life as independently as possible.
For more on our stroke rehabilitation services please visit -
For more on diabetes, hypertension, stroke and specific Oklahoma stats, visit -
The American Diabetes Association
The American Heart Association
Oklahoma (cdc.gov)
Tulsa Rehabilitation Hospital | 918.820.3499 | www.tulsa-rehabhospital.com
Located at: 7909 South 101st East Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74133
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