This is what reveals a study carried out by researchers from Mayo Cinic, in the United States. This study looked at 400 patients treated in the emergency room at the Mayo Clinic for either acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (a temporary disruption of blood flow to the brain). Only 42% believed they were having a stroke, and most did not even make it to the emergency room. The median time from onset of symptoms to arrival at the hospital was over three and a half hours.
Most of the patients interviewed believed the symptoms would go away. Almost 20% thought stroke always starts slowly, and just over half of patients said going to a medical facility was of high importance.
Lead author of the study and specialist in emergency medicine, Latha Stead, explains: “When it comes to stroke, time is crucial. The sooner a patient arrives at the hospital, the more probably the stroke can be reduced and the disease under control, to prevent further bodily harm and improve recovery. “
The strokes can proceed very quickly, or last for several hours during which the condition worsens. The thrombus or blood clot, which causes the congestion, can frequently dissolve and then allow circulation to the brain again. In this case, immediate care makes the difference between minor bodily injury and severe disability: Doctors use stents, which prevent congestion from spreading and limit bodily harm.
Symptoms of stroke are: numbness, weakness, or paralysis of the face, arm or leg – usually on one side of the body; sudden difficulty speaking or understanding speech
– Suddenly disturbed, double or diminished eyesight, a sudden feeling of dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; a severe and sudden, or atypical, headache that may occur at the same time with stiff neck, pain in the face or between the eyes, vomiting, or impaired consciousness; and, confusion, or problems with memory, spatial orientation or perception.
In these cases, a stroke does not give a warning. Still, a transient ischemic attack can warn of impending congestion. The symptoms are the same as a stroke, but they last for a shorter period – several minutes to an hour – and then go away, apparently with no permanent effects. Symptoms between one and the other may differ, but all of these attacks indicate a serious risk of impending stroke.