It's beginning to look like training patients in stroke symptom awareness is even more important than once thought. A new study suggests that patients who seek treatment within 24 hours for a minor stroke cut their risk of a second stroke by 80 percent compared with those who wait three days or more to get care.
The study, which looked at 1,278 stroke patients, found that while even some doctors don't treat patients with some mild stroke symptoms, this is a bad idea. Such patients need to get treated promptly with blood thinners and cholesterol-lowering drugs, researchers concluded. Otherwise, about 20 percent of patients who have had minor and transient ischemic strokes have full strokes within three months, according to Dr. Bruce Ovbiagele of Olive View-UCLA Medical Center.
To find out more about the study:
- read this Los Angeles Times piece
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