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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 Victims of ischemic stroke -- caused by a clot in a vessel supplying blood to the brain -- are most likely to benefit from clot-busting tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) therapy within two hours of initial symptoms.
The difference between arrival at an emergency department and brain imaging was also shorter for those arriving by ambulance.
Fewer blacks or African-Americans (42.4 percent) arrived within the critical two-hour window than did whites (49.5 percent).
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Prevention remains key when it comes to stroke.
"We have acute therapies that work to treat stroke, but most of those therapies only work if given within the first few hours after a stroke," Sacco said. "Therefore, the importance of prevention becomes even greater."
"The major risk factors for stroke are high blood pressure, preexisting heart disease, atrial fibrillation, which is a very common heart rhythm abnormality, high blood cholesterol levels, diabetes, tobacco use, alcohol use, physical inactivity and obesity," Neyer said.
"If people take measures to stay physically active, eat a healthy diet, control their blood pressure and cholesterol levels either through lifestyle modifications or through taking medications, all of those things will lower their risk of having a stroke," he said.
Another expert agreed.
"The bottom line conclusion of this study is that prevention of stroke is the most important thing," said Dr. Ann Miller, director of the Stroke Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. "Prevention is really the best kind of treatment for stroke. Once the process has become established it's just intervening, trying to limit damage, so it's critical to control hypertension, stop smoking and limit alcohol intake."
More information
The CDC has more on stroke prevention.
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