The Get Ahead of Stroke campaign is launching Survive Stroke Week from 15–21 May—an observance aimed at increasing awareness of stroke symptoms and the importance of calling 911 right away.
The longer a stroke patient’s treatment is delayed, the greater the impact their stroke will have, which is why time is considered so valuable in stroke care and why it is important that treatments like intravenous thrombolysis and/or a mechanical thrombectomy procedure are initiated as soon as possible.
However, “the challenge is that many people do not call 911”, a Get Ahead of Stroke campaign press release notes, with research indicating that many patients are hesitant to engage emergency services when they suspect stroke due to fears that they will have “overreacted”. Patients can also put themselves at risk by incorrectly believing that they can rest and wait until the symptoms improve, or driving to the emergency room themselves and waiting for triage.
“We now have lifesaving procedures like thrombectomy that are giving stroke patients the best opportunity at a full, independent life after stroke, but they have to get to us as quickly as possible for maximum benefit,” said Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) president J Mocco (Mount Sinai, New York, USA). “Stroke can and does happen to people of all ages and health backgrounds, so everyone needs to know the signs and act on them.”
Knowing the signs of stroke is lifesaving information that everyone should be familiar with, the recent release states, and the BE-FAST acronym (balance loss, eyesight changes, facial drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, time to call 911) is a “great tool” to assess stroke symptoms.
To help everyone better understand the signs of stroke and the need for quick action, the Get Ahead of Stroke campaign has also developed a public service announcement featuring stroke survivors, emergency personnel and physicians.
