Brain Attack: Dial 911

Stroke Is a Brain AttackWhen a person experiences severe chest pain and a heart attack is suspected, most people know to call 911. However, far fewer people know that a stroke demands equal urgency. A stroke is equivalent to a heart attack of the brain and should be thought of as a brain attack.Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of serious disability in people of all ages. However, like heart attacks, immediate medical care may increase chances of survival. Therefore, knowing the warning signs of stroke is critical. In addition, knowing the risk factors of stroke may help to prevent a stroke. Information about the risk factors of stroke and warning signs of stroke can be found on the next page.How many people know the warning signs of stroke or the risk factors of stroke? In this issue of Neurology , Reeves et al. (Reeves MJ, Hogan JG, Rafferty AP. Knowledge of stroke risk factors and warning signs among Michigan adults. Neurology 2002;59:1547–1552) studied the knowledge of stroke risk factors and warning signs of stroke in a representative statewide sample of Michigan adults. The authors conducted a statewide survey of more than 2,500 adults. People were asked to report the three most important risk factors and the three most important warning signs for stroke. Stroke Risk Factors and Warning SignsA …