Preventing Stroke Deaths | VitalSigns

After decades of decline, progress has slowed in preventing stroke deaths. Almost 800,000 people have a stroke each year, more than 140,000 die and many survivors face disability. This is disturbing because about 80% of strokes are preventable. High blood pressure is the single most important treatable risk factor for stroke. Preventing, diagnosing and controlling it through lifestyle changes and medicine is critical to reducing strokes. Health systems (hospitals, doctors, rehabilitation specialists, emergency medical technicians [EMTs], pharmacists) can help address stroke risk factors and improve patient outcomes if a stroke occurs. When stroke happens, minutes count. Call 911 right away. Health systems can treat strokes fast if patients get to the hospital in time. Reducing stroke risk factors and improving the quality of stroke care are needed to continue the decline in stroke deaths.

Health systems can:

• Use system-wide approaches to find patients with undiagnosed or unmanaged stroke risk factors.
• Work with community members and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to quickly identify strokes and get patients to the hospital fast.
• Implement a coordinated system of care that effectively treats patients from the first symptom of a stroke through recovery.