Stroke symptoms common among general ...( As many as 18 percent of adults who ha...)

Stroke symptoms common among general population

As many as 18 percent of adults who have no history of stroke report having had at least one symptom of stroke, according to results of a large national study published in the October 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Using brain imaging to screen individuals without a history of stroke reveals that many have had an undiagnosed or silent stroke, according to background information in the article. One previous study found that 11 percent of individuals age 55 to 64, 22 percent of those ages 65 to 69 and 43 percent of those older than 85 years show evidence of stroke despite never having been diagnosed with the condition. Because awareness of stroke symptoms is low, it is possible that these individuals had symptoms but did not recognize them or that the symptoms did not reach the threshold necessary for a stroke diagnosis.

Virginia J. Howard, M.S.P.H., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues analyzed data from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, a random sample of 18,462 adults older than 45 years (average age 65.8) who had not been diagnosed with stroke. To ensure including many individuals at risk for stroke, the researchers included 7,567 African Americans (41 percent of the total sample, a higher ratio than in the general population) and 6,534 (35.4 percent of the sample) residents of the so-called "stroke belt," which includes eight Southeastern states with increased rates of stroke. In telephone interviews, participants provided information about demographics, general quality of life and medical history, including whether a physician had ever told them they had a stroke and whether they had experienced the sudden onset of any of six stroke symptoms. Brief physical examinations were conducted three to four weeks later. A stroke risk score was calculated for each individual based on demographics, behaviors and other risk factors, wit
'"/>

Contact: Jennifer Park Lollar
205-934-3888
JAMA and Archives Journals
9-Oct-2006

Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. Stroke in nonvascular atrial fibrillation -- anti-coagulants better than anti-platelet therapy
2. UCLA Stroke Center receives American Stroke Associations Initial Achievement Award
3. Stroke risk nearly doubles for siblings of people who have had a stroke
4. UCLA neurologist honored with American Heart Associations Stroke Council Award
5. American College of Physicians publishes Stroke
6. Stroke survivors and caregivers to benefit from Kent State study
7. Strokes will cost US $2.2 trillion by 2050 if prevention & treatment dont improve
8. Stroke risk should determine anti-clotting treatment
9. Perfect timing: Cardiologists meet in Chicago during Mays National Stroke Awareness Month
10. Stroke-associated damage to brain structure may lead to heart attack
11. Stroke patients may be more likely to experience memory decline

Post Your Comments: