A Month For Stroke Awareness

KYW Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - We have gotten to the point where not only is every month of the calendar linked to a disease or health condition but almost every week of the year. It is a veritable Star Registry for health.

That is the cynical side, but there is also another side that is quite important. These named weeks and months not only draw attention to diseases and conditions but can help with education.

A great example is May. It is Stroke Awareness Month. One-hundred thirty thousand Americans suffer a stroke each year - and one American dies from stroke every four minutes. Stroke incidence increases with age but more than a third of the people hospitalized with stroke are under 65.

You may not know that more women than men suffer from strokes. But you can help prevent a stroke by controlling blood pressure, not smoking and watching cholesterol. But the most important point is that if you have symptoms like sudden loss of vision, problems with balance or weakness, you need to be seen as soon as you can so that the damage can be slowed down or even reversed.

Call 911 - don't be embarrassed and don't hesitate. Time is not your friend if you wait too long.