See the signs, call 911
Friday June 20 2008 At least half of all Canadians do not treat stroke as a medical emergency, warns the Heart and Stroke Foundation ‘Report on Stroke’ released this month.
A national poll of adults done last fall  found that although three quarters of Canadians can recognized at least one sign of stroke, only half said they would call emergency help right away. In the prairie provinces that number falls to just over a third who would call for help, and for Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland residents, barely a quarter know they should call 911 right away.
Yet with strokes, literally every minute counts. Each minute of delay, says Dr. Sandra Black of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, increases the odds of permanent brain damage, disability or death.
So can’t modern medicine treat strokes? Yes, there is a clot-busting treatment for the most common form of stroke — strokes caused by a blood clot in the arteries feeding the brain, referred to as ischemic stroke — but it must be administered within three hours of the onset of warning signs.
You know the signs: weakness like a sudden loss of strength or numbness in face, arm or leg, even if it passes; trouble speaking or understanding, again even if it’s temporary; sudden vision problems; severe or unusual headache; and lastly, dizziness and loss of balance, especially if combined with any of the above symptoms.
If someone in your family or workplace suddenly mentions any of these symptoms, don’t hesitate, call 911.
In Canada, more than 50,000 people are diagnosed with strokes each year. Of every 100 people who have a stroke 15 will die and 10 are so severely disabled they require long-term care.
To learn more, visit www.heartandstrok.ca.

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