A Mayo Clinic study shows a majority of stroke patients don’t think they’re having a stroke—and as a result—delay seeking treatment until their condition worsens. The findings appear in the current issue of Emergency Medicine Journal.

Researchers studied 400 patients who were diagnosed at Mayo Clinic’s emergency department with either acute ischemic stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a temporary interruption of blood flow to part of the brain.

Less than half of the patients—42%—thought they were having a stroke. In fact, most in the study did not go to the emergency room when symptoms appeared. The median time from onset of symptoms to arrival at the hospital was more than 3 1/2 hours. Most said they thought the symptoms would simply go away. The delay in seeking medical help was the same among men and women.

When asked how they knew about stroke symptoms, nearly one-fifth said they thought a stroke always came on gradually. Just over half (51.9%) said they thought that seeking medical care immediately was important.

The researchers say their findings clearly indicate that better public understanding of stroke symptoms will lead to a faster response and better outcomes.

Strokes can happen quickly or can occur over several hours, with the condition continually worsening. The thrombus or clot that is causing the stroke can frequently be dissolved or disintegrated so blood can again flow to the brain. In such cases, immediate treatment can mean the difference between a slight injury and a major disability. Interestingly only 20.8% of the participants knew about such treatment. By use of stents, medications and other technology, physicians can stop a stroke from spreading and greatly limit damage.

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