Patients failing to recognise warning signs and symptoms of stroke
- Published: 02 December 2008 12:12
- Last Updated: 02 December 2008 12:15
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Nurses need to warn patients more about the warning signs and symptoms of stroke, a new study suggests.
The research showed that fewer than one-half of patients experiencing a stroke failed to recognise signs and symptoms.
Over 15 months, US researchers studied 400 patients who were diagnosed with acute ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack at a major emergency department.
Although three-quarters of the patients were treated for ischaemic stroke, the researchers found that only 42% were aware they were having a stroke, which had resulted in significant delays in seeking treatment.
Only one-third of the patients presented to A&E within two hours of the onset of symptoms, and fewer than half presented within four hours. The most common reason given for the delay was that the patient thought the symptoms would simply go away.
'Time is crucial,' the authors said. 'The sooner a patient experiencing a stroke reaches emergency care, the more likely the stroke can be limited and the condition managed to prevent further damage and improve recovery.'
Jane Williams, consultant nurse in stroke care at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust and chairperson of the National Stroke Nurses Forum, said that educating patients about stroke was as important as educating them about heart disease.
'Nurses need to utilise every opportunity to deliver stroke education to patients, particularly those at increased risk of vascular events, such as diabetics, smokers and people with hypertension,' she said.
'But everybody needs to be aware of the potential risks because stroke can happen at any age and at any time. Just because you're young, it doesn't mean you can't have a stroke,' she added.
Journal of Emergency Medicine (2008) 25: 735–739
