Hospitals hiring weight-guessers? Or is there a better solution?

Image from Wellness Corporate Solutions via Flickr

Ever seen someone offering to guess your weight at a carnival? It's been a while for me.

Maybe we need to hire some of those folks for hospital work - when knowing someone's weight means administering the correct amount of a drug that could bring you back from a stroke, or put you in danger - at least partly depending on how the accuracy of your weight in its calculation.

Recently, some research shows that weight guesses for stroke treatment are often wrong:

"Relying on our ability to 'guess' the weight of a patient in the acute setting is no longer acceptable and potentially dangerous," Pankaj Sharma, MD, PhD, from the Institute for Cardiovascular Research at the University of London, told Reuters Health.

The recommended dose of alteplase (recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator [r-tPA]) is 0.9 mg/kg, up to a maximum dose of 90 mg. In the interest of time, clinicians often estimate patients' weights to determine the r-tPA dose. ...

Preventing a stroke might prevent a death

We all need to encourage better treatment for better outcomes for stroke patients.

BUT, just as important are ways to prevent strokes. For every stroke we prevent, we prevent a possible death or disability. A recent study combined some key methods to reduce stroke risk and, not surprisingly, that healthy lifestyle choices may cut women's stroke risk:

After being followed an average of 10 years, women who ate a healthy diet, drank alcohol moderately, never smoked, remained physically active and had a healthy body weight were 54 percent less likely to have a stroke than women with none of these factors, said study author Susanna Larsson, a researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

While other studies have looked at single risk factors, "only a few studies have examined the combined effects of a healthy lifestyle on stroke risk," Larsson said.

"We observed that the risk of stroke decreased steadily with an increasing number of healthy lifestyle habits," she said.

While the study found an association between healthy habits and stroke risk, a causal link was not proven.

Take this seriously - the life you save may be your own.

It messes up your schedule, but worth it

I admit it - skipping breakfast is an inconvenience. It messes with my schedule for work and I'm grouchy without it.

Why miss breakfast? For an occasional blood draw to test your cholesterol level after fasting.

And why care? Because, according to the National Stroke Association: "Cholesterol or plaque build-up in the arteries can block normal blood flow to the brain and cause a stroke. High cholesterol may also increase the risk of heart disease, a risk factor for stroke."

The association's Web site offers some information on the relation of stroke risk reduction and high cholesterol:

Things you can change:

• Diet -- Foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol can increase cholesterol levels.
• Weight -- Being overweight can increase your cholesterol levels.
• Exercise -- People who are not active tend to have higher cholesterol levels.

Things you cannot change:

• Family History -- If someone in your family has high cholesterol, you are more likely to have high cholesterol.
• Age -- Most people experience an increase in cholesterol levels until about the age of 65.
• Gender -- Women under age 50 tend to have lower cholesterol and those in menopause have higher levels.

So get that number checked. Skip breakfast just one or two days a year. If the numbers aren't right, follow your doctor's advice. Take medicine prescribed. Exercise. Watch your weight and diet.

It could save your life.

(Photo from the U.S. Office on Women's Health)

Weighing in on weight

Second of five stroke prevention factors: weight.

Weight control are two easy words to type but two very difficult words to follow. Still, being overweight is a documented, well-known stroke risk factor.

Indeed, weight is a factor that adds to other factors. Says the MayoClinic.com Web site: "Being overweight contributes to other risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and diabetes."

People have devoted blogs, books and businesses about weight loss - and this single note won't give you every possible way to do it. The CDC offers some resources. About.com has lots of links. Weight Watchers is a company that has helped people gain weight control for decades. Now, thousands of Americans have gastric bypass surgery.

Controlling weight isn't fun or easy. But it can save your life or the life of someone you love.

No guarantees in this world

In a project to keep dogging stroke myths: Here's a title of a recent article carries some needless baggage: Six ways to get on with stroke prevention and stay stroke-free.

It goes on to say:

[A]lthough stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, only a small percentage of Americans is able to name even a few of the diseases and unhealthy habits that can increase a person's risk of having a stroke. Here you will find six important tips that can help you improve your chances of never suffering a stroke.

While it is true that many people can, in fact, improve changes of never going through a stroke, the title or article might give you the impression that if you follow the rules, you might be "stroke-free."

The world doesn't work quite that easily. Ask me - was 39 years old, good physical condition, marathon finisher, low cholesterol, excellent blood pressure, normal weight, non-smoker, low alcohol intake, eating right, etc. Yet it happened anyway.

The problem an undetected heart defect - which you can't control with diet or other behavior.

So yes, follow this article's advice and follow the six important tips. But still, stay aware of stroke signs - it can still happen to you or a loved one, and you need to know what to do.

That is: Get some help immediately!