High blood pressure is one of the primary risk factors for stroke, and about one-third of the Americans who have it are unaware that they do. Many of the local affiliates of the American Heart Association will conduct community programs to screen people for their risk of stroke and educate the public about warning signs. Until recently, no formal, national network linking families and support groups existed to aid in their emotional and physical recovery. Also physicians should be aggressively treating patients who have already had a stroke to prevent a recurrence. Medicines such as warfarin, an anti-clotting agent, and surgical procedures that are shown to prevent repeat strokes are often underused, according to Breslow.
Stroke demands the same urgency as a heart attack.
Too many people ignore these symptoms or don't recognize them as stroke signs, so they delay seeking medical attention, according to the AHA, participating in the Brain Matters Stroke Initiative to educate the public about stroke. Anyone experiencing one or more of the warning signs of brain attack should get medical help immediately. Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.