NEW YORK — The New York State Department of Health encourages all New Yorkers to be aware of the signs and symptoms of stroke in recognition of National Stroke Awareness Month in May.
According to a press release, a stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, is always a medical emergency. Knowing the signs and symptoms of stroke, acting quickly, and calling 911 immediately can significantly raise a person’s chance of survival.
“When every second counts, I urge all New Yorkers to learn the signs of a stroke so they can act fast and potentially save a life,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in the release. “Stroke can be deadly or cause a lifelong disability. It continues to disproportionately affect communities that have historically faced barriers to health care.
“We remain committed to advancing awareness and treatment that can help prevent stroke and improve outcomes in all New York communities.”
Signs and symptoms of a stroke often occur quickly and may include:
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or trouble understanding speech
• Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause
• Sudden trouble seeing from one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination
Getting help as quickly as possible when someone is having a stroke is crucial. Remembering a simple acronym can help identify the symptoms and possibly help save a life. “F.A.S.T” is an easy-to-remember method of recognizing the symptoms of stroke:
• Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face droop?
• Arm: Can the person raise both arms? Does one arm drift down? Is their arm weak?
• Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or confusing?
• Time: Time is critical. Note the time when stroke symptoms first appear and call 9-1-1 right away. Anyone who may be having a stroke should have an ambulance drive them to the hospital for rapid treatment.
If someone is showing the signs and symptoms of stroke, calling 911 immediately saves precious time and improves the likelihood of a positive outcome. Unfortunately, recognition of these common stroke symptoms, is not readily known across New York, according to a Department report that includes information about how familiar the public is with common signs that someone is having a stroke.
A 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) indicated that less than one third of New York adults were able to correctly recognize the common signs and symptoms of stroke and that calling 911 should be the first action to take in response. Less than half of adults were able to identify a sudden headache without a known cause as a sign of stroke.
Inequitable access to health information can also be a contributing factor to differences in awareness of potentially deadly signs and symptoms. Findings from the BRFSS report show significant disparities in the awareness of stroke indicators among New Yorkers without a personal doctor, those identifying as non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic and those who completed the BRFSS survey in Spanish.
A Department report released in 2022 looked at adults diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. The report found that individuals diagnosed with those conditions experience stroke at significantly higher rates than those without. Furthermore, for those adults with high blood pressure or high cholesterol, stroke prevalence is significantly higher among Black non-Hispanic New Yorkers when compared to all other adults combined.
These findings illustrate a continued need to address structural factors contributing to health disparities, including access to health information and care critical to the prevention and management of stroke risk factors.
Stroke risk factors include high blood pressure or hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and diabetes. Individuals who have these risk factors should speak with a health care provider about ways to reduce their risk of stroke by managing and controlling these health conditions.
The Department has several programs dedicated to improving prevention, treatment, and community education about stroke:
• The Stroke Designation Program recognizes and designates hospitals in a three-tiered stroke system of care which includes: Primary Stroke Centers, Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Centers, and Comprehensive Stroke Centers. A list of New York designated stroke centers can be found here.
• New York State is also one of 12 recipients funded by the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program. The State Coverdell Stroke Program is a quality improvement program which aims to improve quality in stroke systems of care by identifying and closing gaps to achieve improvements in prevention, pre-hospital, in-hospital, and post-hospital care.
There are 84 hospitals in New York State that have chosen to voluntarily participate in the Coverdell Stroke Program, going above and beyond stroke designation requirements, to improve stroke systems of care in their communities. A list of participating Coverdell hospitals can be found below. The Coverdell Program is also focused on community education as part of their work. In partnership with the Stroke Designation Program, stroke education materials are available in 17 languages to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of stroke and the importance of activating 9-1-1.
