Luke Perry’s fans were shocked when they heard he died Monday of a stroke.
The hunky star of “Beverly Hills, 90210” was only 52.[i]
Isn’t that too young to have a fatal stroke?
Strokes are typically associated with the elderly. But more than a third of the people who have one are under 65.[ii]
And youthfulness can actually work against them, according to Dr. Andrew Rogove. He directs stroke services at Northwell Health’s Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, N.Y.
Why Strokes Are Deadlier in Young People
“As we age, our brains shrink,” Dr. Rogove explained. “When a young person has a large stroke, brain swelling occurs. And because their brains have not shrunk as much as an older person, they have no room in the skull to accommodate this swelling.
“The brain gets compressed and can lead to death. In an older person, there is more room in the skull to accommodate this swelling.”
There’s another reason, younger people are more likely to die…
They may ignore the symptoms of a stroke because they don’t believe they are at risk. They may wait to call an ambulance. This can be a fatal mistake.
Never Ignore these 4 Stroke Symptoms
Quick diagnosis and treatment are crucial in reducing the damage caused by a stroke.
The American Stroke Association uses the acronym “F.A.S.T.” to help people remember the symptoms:
- Face drooping. Ask the person to smile. Does their smile look uneven?
- Arm weakness. Ask the person to raise their arms. Does one arm drift downwards?
- Speech difficulty. Is speech slurred? Get the person to repeat a simple sentence. If the person displays any of these key signals, it’s…
- Time to call 911.
Fast treatment is crucial because brain cells continue to die until brain blood flow is restored. Typically, a clot-busting medication called tPA is the first-line treatment.[iii]
“Time is brain,” Dr. Rogrove said. “About 1.9 million neurons die each minute after a stroke. Call 911 at the first sign of a stroke.”
There’s no way to know exactly what caused Luke Perry’s stroke. But he had at least one of the risk factors for having a stroke. He was a smoker.[iv]
Other risk factors include having diabetes, having high blood pressure, being obese, abusing drugs, and being sedentary.
Joss Whedon, a Hollywood writer and director, was a close friend of Perry’s. The two worked together on the move “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
Perry was “funny, committed, and always gracious,” Whedon said. “He shouldn’t be gone.”
Editor’s Note: Did you know there are five deadly stroke and heart attack triggers? And you probably did three of them before lunch! Find out what you need to know in order to avoid a massive coronary or a stroke. Go HERE.
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[i] https://www.tmz.com/2019/03/04/luke-perry-dead-dies-stroke-beverly-hills-90210-riverdale/
[ii] https://consumer.healthday.com/cardiovascular-health-information-20/heart-stroke-related-stroke-353/actor-luke-perry-dies-of-stroke-at-age-52-743424.html
[iii] https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/neuroscience-blog/2016/may/if-someone-is-having-a-stroke-3-things-to-do-and-3-things-not-to-do
[iv] https://pagesix.com/2019/03/04/luke-perry-had-cancer-scare-before-fatal-stroke/