May 5, 2025 • 9 mins
Joanna and Sean talk to Dr. Mohamed Fayad in honor of National Stroke Awareness Month.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I can't believe May is already here, and we love
supporting our friends the American Heart Association of Southern Nevada
year round. Good morning, it's Joanna Anna Sean. If you
did not know, May is American Stroke Month, and we
are firm believers at the more you know, the better
off you'll be in the future.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
And Joanna and I both have a history of working
with the American Heart Association and love to spread awareness
whenever we can. And we have a special guests in studio.
We love when other people come in here and keep
his company. Say good morning to doctor Muhammed Fayad. He
is from the Sunrise Health System. He is an interventional
neurologist who specializes in stroke. I think I got that
(00:39):
right right, Yes, that's absolutely correct. I'm perfect, perfect.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Well, good morning, and thank you so much for joining us. So,
with it being American Stroke Month, let's just start off
nice and simple. Tell everybody out there know we use
the term, but do people really know what a stroke is?
So can you explain that a little bit.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
So, the medical term of a stroke just pretty much
means damage to tissue, whether it was in the heart
or in the brain. It's when cells die as a
result of an injury, whether that was from a blockage
to a blood vessel or whether that was from a
ruptured blood vessel that leaks blood into the tissue and
(01:20):
damages it.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So when people think of a stroke, and I'm one
of them, I think there's only one kind. But that's
not true, right. There's several different types of strokes out there.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
There are two major types of strokes. The first one
would be an a schemic stroke that is when a
blood vessel is blocked, and the other type of a
stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke that's when a blood vessel
is ruptured. Other types of stroke include a transient ischemic attack,
is when a short period of time a blood vessel
(01:52):
is occluded and then it opens back up, provides blood
to the brain again, and the symptoms go away. There
is another form of stroke that we refer to as
a cryptogenic stroke. That's when a stroke happens and we
don't really understand or know what the initial cause of
it was.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Sure Now, through our partnership with the American Heart Association,
we have been able to use this acronym quite a
bit over the years. But there is an acronym out
there that I want you to dive into a little
bit more. It really helps with remembering the signs of
a stroke, and can you explain to us what that
is and you know why. It helps people remember and
notice the signs absolutely.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
So the mnemonic that we use to help teach the
public about the signs and symptoms of a stroke is
be fast, and it's very very important to be fast,
and you want to get the individual to the nearest
hospital as soon as possible because time is brain. Be
for balance, so if you notice the individual is having
(02:55):
trouble with their balance, they're swaying towards one side, bumping
into water, they're walking, they're having difficulty maintaining their ability
to stand. E for eyes, which is for vision. If
they're having difficulty seeing on one side or losing complete
vision out of one eye, that's another sign of a stroke.
(03:18):
F is for face, so if you're not noticing any
droopiness on one side of the face. A for arm
or that also goes for the leg where there's weakness,
noting that there is a drift when you extend your
arms out you're having difficulty maintaining the ability to lift
(03:40):
your arms up one side is drifting down. That's also
another sign of stroke. S is for speech, which is
a big one if you're having difficulty pronouncing words or
having difficulty getting the right word out where you're trying
to say one thing but something else is coming out,
as well as understanding what other people are trying to
(04:02):
tell you, that's another sign of stroke. And T is
for time and again I say it again, it's very
important to be fast and get this individual to the
nearest hospital center.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Absolutely, so these are all great things to remember. Every
time we have a conversation about stroke, I always think,
what was that acronym? So it's nice to have that reminder. Now,
what can anyone do to help prevent a stroke? I
think that's one of the most important things to talk about,
is we want to avoid right now? What do they say,
announce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right
So what can people do to prevent having strokes themselves?
Speaker 3 (04:37):
It's very important to discuss with your doctor whether you
have any risk factors for stroke, which includes things like
high blood pressure. Making sure that your blood pressure is
very well managed, you're taking your medications appropriately as your
doctors have prescribed maintaining a normal cholesterol level. High cholesterol
levels can definitely cause damage to blood vessels, narring blood
(05:01):
vessels and eventually leading to stroke. Avoiding smoking Smoking is
a big one which increases a risk of stroke, and
we've known that for many many years.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Now does that include vaping. I think a lot of
people would like to know.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Absolutely. There's definitely a lot of data out there that
have identified complications associated with vaping which can affect your
lungs as we all know, and low oxygen levels in
your blood can definitely lead to symptoms that may cause
(05:38):
a stroke. Other risk factors include trouble with your heartbeat,
which is called atrial fibrillation. This is a big one.
It's known to cause up to thirty percent of ischemic stroke.
One thing I would like to point is stroke care
doesn't start in the hospital. It actually starts outside in
(06:01):
the field. When we are able to recognize these symptoms
of be fast in the appropriate amount of time and
call nine one one and notify the authorities to help
the individual. The quicker they can get to the hospital,
the better their outcome is going to be. Wow.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Now, through your time, you know, obviously your many years
of practicing. I'm sure you've seen all different types of situations,
people from all walks of life coming through and visiting
you and seeking that help and support. Any stories or
anything in particular that really stands out to you. It's
but particularly with you know, people who have been impacted
by a stroke.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Absolutely, we see patients on a daily basis that come
into a hospital with stokelike symptoms. It's difficult when you're
alone and you start to experience these symptoms and you
don't know what to do. Sure, we have to keep
in mind that it's the that's getting affected, the organ
that allows us to make decisions. So it is going
(07:04):
to be difficult for you to make a decision on
what's going on and what you need to do. I
remember a story of a patient I had a few
weeks ago where she was at home. She started to
experience symptoms of right arm weakness. She had difficulty speaking
on the phone. She called nine one one, but she
(07:26):
couldn't tell them what was going on. So they obviously
understood that something bad was happening and they sent ems
to her. She couldn't give them her address. They had
to look for her and find her. But once they
found her. They brought her to the hospital immediately, and again,
be fast. Because she did call nine one one immediately
(07:48):
and got to the hospital an appropriate amount of time,
we were able to treat her appropriately with a medication
that we use for stroke. It's FDA approved, but it
can only be given in a specific period of time.
There's a specific window for it. If you're outside that window,
(08:09):
you don't qualify for that medication. And this is why
we say be fast, Oh.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
I got chills there.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Dietarily, are there any modifications that we can make to
our diet to help us become less prone to strokes?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Absolutely, maintaining in normal blood sugar, avoiding things that are
high in carbohydrates, high and saturated fats. One of the
diets that's been clinically proven to help reduce the risk
of stroke is a Mediterranean diet.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Wow. Okay.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Also maintaining regular activity on a daily basis, exercising for
approximately twenty minutes every day or possibly thirty minutes three
times a week. That all helps improve your overall health,
reduce your risk factors for strikes.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Wow. Some really solid reminders here. And I know that
the Sunrise Health System is a local sponsor together to
end stroke with the American Heart Association. So coming on
the show today especially to really kick off the month
of May with American Heart Association with the American Stroke Month.
This definitely raises awareness and we appreciate your time and
the education you are providing our audience.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Thank you for having.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Me doctor Mohammed Fayad. He is part of the Sunrise
Health System. He is an interventional neurologist who specializes in stroke.
I got that right, wife, got that right. Thank you
so much for your time today.
I can't believe May is already here, and we love
supporting our friends the American Heart Association of Southern Nevada
year round. Good morning, it's Joanna Anna Sean. If you
did not know, May is American Stroke Month, and we
are firm believers at the more you know, the better
off you'll be in the future.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
And Joanna and I both have a history of working
with the American Heart Association and love to spread awareness
whenever we can. And we have a special guests in studio.
We love when other people come in here and keep
his company. Say good morning to doctor Muhammed Fayad. He
is from the Sunrise Health System. He is an interventional
neurologist who specializes in stroke. I think I got that
(00:39):
right right, Yes, that's absolutely correct. I'm perfect, perfect.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Well, good morning, and thank you so much for joining us. So,
with it being American Stroke Month, let's just start off
nice and simple. Tell everybody out there know we use
the term, but do people really know what a stroke is?
So can you explain that a little bit.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
So, the medical term of a stroke just pretty much
means damage to tissue, whether it was in the heart
or in the brain. It's when cells die as a
result of an injury, whether that was from a blockage
to a blood vessel or whether that was from a
ruptured blood vessel that leaks blood into the tissue and
(01:20):
damages it.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So when people think of a stroke, and I'm one
of them, I think there's only one kind. But that's
not true, right. There's several different types of strokes out there.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
There are two major types of strokes. The first one
would be an a schemic stroke that is when a
blood vessel is blocked, and the other type of a
stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke that's when a blood vessel
is ruptured. Other types of stroke include a transient ischemic attack,
is when a short period of time a blood vessel
(01:52):
is occluded and then it opens back up, provides blood
to the brain again, and the symptoms go away. There
is another form of stroke that we refer to as
a cryptogenic stroke. That's when a stroke happens and we
don't really understand or know what the initial cause of
it was.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Sure Now, through our partnership with the American Heart Association,
we have been able to use this acronym quite a
bit over the years. But there is an acronym out
there that I want you to dive into a little
bit more. It really helps with remembering the signs of
a stroke, and can you explain to us what that
is and you know why. It helps people remember and
notice the signs absolutely.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
So the mnemonic that we use to help teach the
public about the signs and symptoms of a stroke is
be fast, and it's very very important to be fast,
and you want to get the individual to the nearest
hospital as soon as possible because time is brain. Be
for balance, so if you notice the individual is having
(02:55):
trouble with their balance, they're swaying towards one side, bumping
into water, they're walking, they're having difficulty maintaining their ability
to stand. E for eyes, which is for vision. If
they're having difficulty seeing on one side or losing complete
vision out of one eye, that's another sign of a stroke.
(03:18):
F is for face, so if you're not noticing any
droopiness on one side of the face. A for arm
or that also goes for the leg where there's weakness,
noting that there is a drift when you extend your
arms out you're having difficulty maintaining the ability to lift
(03:40):
your arms up one side is drifting down. That's also
another sign of stroke. S is for speech, which is
a big one if you're having difficulty pronouncing words or
having difficulty getting the right word out where you're trying
to say one thing but something else is coming out,
as well as understanding what other people are trying to
(04:02):
tell you, that's another sign of stroke. And T is
for time and again I say it again, it's very
important to be fast and get this individual to the
nearest hospital center.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Absolutely, so these are all great things to remember. Every
time we have a conversation about stroke, I always think,
what was that acronym? So it's nice to have that reminder. Now,
what can anyone do to help prevent a stroke? I
think that's one of the most important things to talk about,
is we want to avoid right now? What do they say,
announce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right
So what can people do to prevent having strokes themselves?
Speaker 3 (04:37):
It's very important to discuss with your doctor whether you
have any risk factors for stroke, which includes things like
high blood pressure. Making sure that your blood pressure is
very well managed, you're taking your medications appropriately as your
doctors have prescribed maintaining a normal cholesterol level. High cholesterol
levels can definitely cause damage to blood vessels, narring blood
(05:01):
vessels and eventually leading to stroke. Avoiding smoking Smoking is
a big one which increases a risk of stroke, and
we've known that for many many years.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Now does that include vaping. I think a lot of
people would like to know.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Absolutely. There's definitely a lot of data out there that
have identified complications associated with vaping which can affect your
lungs as we all know, and low oxygen levels in
your blood can definitely lead to symptoms that may cause
(05:38):
a stroke. Other risk factors include trouble with your heartbeat,
which is called atrial fibrillation. This is a big one.
It's known to cause up to thirty percent of ischemic stroke.
One thing I would like to point is stroke care
doesn't start in the hospital. It actually starts outside in
(06:01):
the field. When we are able to recognize these symptoms
of be fast in the appropriate amount of time and
call nine one one and notify the authorities to help
the individual. The quicker they can get to the hospital,
the better their outcome is going to be. Wow.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Now, through your time, you know, obviously your many years
of practicing. I'm sure you've seen all different types of situations,
people from all walks of life coming through and visiting
you and seeking that help and support. Any stories or
anything in particular that really stands out to you. It's
but particularly with you know, people who have been impacted
by a stroke.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Absolutely, we see patients on a daily basis that come
into a hospital with stokelike symptoms. It's difficult when you're
alone and you start to experience these symptoms and you
don't know what to do. Sure, we have to keep
in mind that it's the that's getting affected, the organ
that allows us to make decisions. So it is going
(07:04):
to be difficult for you to make a decision on
what's going on and what you need to do. I
remember a story of a patient I had a few
weeks ago where she was at home. She started to
experience symptoms of right arm weakness. She had difficulty speaking
on the phone. She called nine one one, but she
(07:26):
couldn't tell them what was going on. So they obviously
understood that something bad was happening and they sent ems
to her. She couldn't give them her address. They had
to look for her and find her. But once they
found her. They brought her to the hospital immediately, and again,
be fast. Because she did call nine one one immediately
(07:48):
and got to the hospital an appropriate amount of time,
we were able to treat her appropriately with a medication
that we use for stroke. It's FDA approved, but it
can only be given in a specific period of time.
There's a specific window for it. If you're outside that window,
(08:09):
you don't qualify for that medication. And this is why
we say be fast, Oh.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
I got chills there.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Dietarily, are there any modifications that we can make to
our diet to help us become less prone to strokes?
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Absolutely, maintaining in normal blood sugar, avoiding things that are
high in carbohydrates, high and saturated fats. One of the
diets that's been clinically proven to help reduce the risk
of stroke is a Mediterranean diet.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Wow. Okay.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Also maintaining regular activity on a daily basis, exercising for
approximately twenty minutes every day or possibly thirty minutes three
times a week. That all helps improve your overall health,
reduce your risk factors for strikes.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Wow. Some really solid reminders here. And I know that
the Sunrise Health System is a local sponsor together to
end stroke with the American Heart Association. So coming on
the show today especially to really kick off the month
of May with American Heart Association with the American Stroke Month.
This definitely raises awareness and we appreciate your time and
the education you are providing our audience.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Thank you for having.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Me doctor Mohammed Fayad. He is part of the Sunrise
Health System. He is an interventional neurologist who specializes in stroke.
I got that right, wife, got that right. Thank you
so much for your time today.
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