73 Percent Unaware of Stroke Symptoms, Survey Reveals

Rebecca Lewis January 27, 2016

Stroke is a life-threatening condition wherein brain cells suddenly die because of a lack of oxygen and glucose. If not given immediate medical attention, a person suffering from stroke can face serious health outcomes, worse, die. While stroke has several symptoms, many are unaware of them. In fact, a survey by the UCLA Medical Centre in the US found that younger patients, those under the age of 45, may underestimate the urgency of stroke symptoms and most say they would likely delay going to the hospital for help.

In the study, researchers asked more than a thousand people all throughout the US on what they would be likely to do within the first three hours of experiencing weakness, numbness, difficulty speaking or difficulty seeing, all common symptoms of a stroke. Among those under age 45, only about one out of three said they would be very likely to go to the hospital. A staggering 73 percent said they would likely wait to see if their symptoms improved.

But that’s the real problem, according to the researchers. "We need to educate younger people about the symptoms of stroke and convince them of the urgency of the situation, because the numbers are going up." said David Liebeskind, MD, professor of neurology, Director of Outpatient Stroke and Neurovascular Programs and Director of the Neurovascular Imaging Research Core at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Centre.

There are two kinds of stroke. The most common is called ischemic stroke, during which arteries in the brain become blocked, cutting off oxygen. Many people think it is something only the elderly can experience. But stroke can happen to anyone at any age, and is often associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and obesity. "The good news is, there are steps we can take to lower our risk of stroke," said Liebeskind. A healthy diet and regular exercise, as well as not smoking and limiting alcohol consumption, have all been shown to lower your risk of stroke. Just as important as knowing what puts you at a higher risk for stroke, is knowing the symptoms when you see them. Doctors urge you to know the signs of stroke and act "FAST."

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Survey finds 73 percent unaware of stroke symptoms