Awareness of Stroke Warning Symptoms - 13 States and the District of Columbia, 2005. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Volume 57, No. 18, May 9, 2008

摘要

Although the number of deaths from stroke has declined substantially since the 1960s (1,2), in 2004, stroke remained the third leading cause of death in the United States, after heart disease and cancer (3). Approximately 54% of U.S. stroke deaths in 2004 occurred outside of a hospital (4). Intravenous administration of tissue plasminogen activator has clinical benefits for patients with acute ischemic stroke; however, treatment should begin within 3 hours of symptom onset for these benefits to be realized (5). For hemorrhagic stroke, immediate surgery (e.g., aneurysm repair) is crucial to prevent rebleeding that results in serious impairment or death in 40% to 60% of cases (6). A revised objective of Healthy People 2010 is to increase to 83% the proportion of persons who are aware of the warning symptoms of stroke and the need to telephone 9-1-1 immediately if someone appears to be having a stroke (objective no. 12-8) (7).