Many Americans Ignoring Stroke Symptoms

University of Alabama epidemiologist Virginia Howard, speaking at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting, reported that more than half of Americans experiencing symptoms consistent with a possible stroke do not seek medical attention.

The data is part of a larger, ongoing study which is trying to understand why there is an apparent "stroke belt" in the United States. Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, and the Carolinas have above average stroke related death rates.

While Howard's data was able to demonstrate that people with heart disease or high blood pressure were more likely to seek treatment after experiencing stroke-like symptoms, the overall picture is still surprising - 51.4% of people do not report symptoms to their doctor.

Nearly 700,000 people in the United States suffer a stroke each year, and almost 150,000 of those people die. Prompt medical attention greatly reduces the risk of death and debilitating long term effects of stroke.