Stroke: Time is everything.

Are you familiar with the signs and symptoms of a stroke? African Americans in general don’t seem to be aware of the signs and symptoms of a stroke and that may be a contributing reason why there is high prevalence of strokes in African Americans that live in the southeastern part of the United States. South Carolina is a major part of the “stroke belt”. It is most interesting that research shows that people who are in fair to poor health or more likely to report stroke symptoms. Highly medically sophisticated patients are often unaware of the symptoms of stroke. This lack of awareness has led to a number of programs that try to bring the awareness of African Americans and others up to par. As a result of this unfortunate dilemma the wastage by strokes is also highest in African Americans. Time is very important when a stroke is on the horizon. Generally there is a window of 1-2 hours when immediate treatment of a stroke can diminish or prevent the devastation. Knowing the classic warning signs of a stroke are important and awareness is a must if the victim is to have a chance at recovery. Act immediately by getting the stroke victim to the emergency room (ER) first. Notice I said go to the ER first then call the physician. Take the patient to the ER immediately. Be aware of these more common symptoms of a stroke:

• Sudden numbness or weakness in the arms, legs, or face.
• Sudden confusion or trouble speaking, inability to understand speech, sudden blurred vision out of one or both eyes
• Loss of balance or coordination, sudden headache or dizziness.

Time is very important and, remember, the patient could be you. I am Dr. Thaddeus John Bell---Closing the Gap in Healthcare.