Stroke is a medical emergency. Surprisingly, according to the results of a new survey published online in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, less than 20 percent of people said they would call 911 if they witnessed the warning signs of stroke in a family member or friend.

Researchers from the Michigan Department of Community Health and their colleagues surveyed 4,841 adults to see how they would react when presented with three different warning signs of stroke – sudden numbness on one side of the body, sudden slurred speech, or sudden blurry vision. The researchers found that 27.6 percent of the adults surveyed were able to identify these warning signs of stroke and 14 percent indicated that they would call 911 for all three of the stroke-related scenarios. However, 37 percent said that they would not call 911 for any of the three stroke symptoms. Although the percentage of adults who said they would appropriately call 911 increased with age, it remained less than 20 percent in all age groups. The majority of survey respondents reported that they would take the stroke patient to the emergency department on their own.

As a reminder, the warning signs of stroke include sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding; sudden trouble seeing; sudden trouble with balance or coordination; and sudden severe headache without a cause. If you experience the warning signs of stroke, the American Heart Association’s advice is to call 911 or emergency services and get to a hospital right away. Calling 911 will lead to earlier arrival at the hospital and quicker treatment, including possible life-saving clot-busting therapy, upon arrival.

Source:

Stroke. Published online 13 May 2010.