Original site: www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5317a1.htm RestoredCDC.org is an independent project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or any government entity. The CDC provides information free of change at CDC.gov. Note the following: 1) Due to archival on January 6, 2025, no information on recent outbreaks is available. 2) Videos have not been restored. 3) Use of this site implies acceptance of this disclaimer.
Persons using assistive technology might not be able to fully access information in this file. For assistance, please send e-mail to: mmwrq@cdc.gov. Type 508 Accommodation and the title of the report in the subject line of e-mail.
National Stroke Awareness Month --- May 2004
May is National Stroke Awareness Month. During 2004, an estimated 700,000 persons in the United States will have
a stroke; of these, approximately 160,000 (23%) will die. Nearly half of stroke deaths will occur before patients are transported to hospitals, and 15%--30% of stroke survivors will be disabled permanently
(1).
Recognition of the warning signs for stroke and immediate calls for emergency medical care are critical first steps toward obtaining appropriate emergency treatment that might prevent death and disability. The five major warning signs of stroke are 1) sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; 2) sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or
leg, especially on one side of the body; 3) sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; 4) sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or
loss of balance or coordination; and 5) sudden, severe headache with no known cause
(1). In 2001, only 17% of adults recognized all five major signs of stroke and also knew to call 911 for medical
assistance. Education campaigns are needed to
increase public awareness of the early signs of stroke.
CDC supports programs that emphasize multiple strategies for targeting stroke prevention and for ensuring
patients receive quality care. In 2004, CDC also will
support stroke-care registries in several states to monitor and enhance
improvements in the quality of care for stroke.
American Heart Association. Heart disease and stroke statistics---2004 update. Dallas, Texas: American Heart Association, 2003. Available at
http://www.americanheart.org.
Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.References to non-CDC sites on the Internet are
provided as a service to MMWR readers and do not constitute or imply
endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. CDC is not responsible for the content
of pages found at these sites. URL addresses listed in MMWR were current as of
the date of publication.
Disclaimer
All MMWR HTML versions of articles are electronic conversions from ASCII text
into HTML. This conversion may have resulted in character translation or format errors in the HTML version.
Users should not rely on this HTML document, but are referred to the electronic PDF version and/or
the original MMWR paper copy for the official text, figures, and tables.
An original paper copy of this issue can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents,
U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402-9371; telephone: (202) 512-1800.
Contact GPO for current prices.
**Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be addressed to
mmwrq@cdc.gov.
