Research: People Who Recognize Stroke Symptoms Are Not Likely to Call 9-1-1

Recent research published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that people who witness acute stroke symptoms in friends or family members are not likely to call 9-1-1 immediately. In fact, only 14 percent of survey participants reported they would call emergency medical services (EMS) for three common symptoms of acute stroke, while 37 percent reported that they would not call 9-1-1 for any of the stroke symptoms.

The study, commissioned by the Michigan Department of Community Health and funded in part by the Michigan Department of Community Health Cardiovascular Health, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Section and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, surveyed 4,814 Michigan adults to assess whether they knew when to call for an ambulance immediately upon observing acute stroke symptoms. More often than not, respondents confronted with a friend of family member exhibiting sudden slurred speech, sudden numbness on one side of the body or sudden blurry vision indicated they would take the patient to the emergency room themselves as opposed to calling emergency medical services (EMS) to transport the patient.

Other key findings from the research include:

Only 27 percent of study participants knew all three symptoms were associated with stroke, yet only 18 percent of those participants said they would call 9-1-1 in response to all three stroke symptoms.
Fifty-one percent of all respondents would call 9-1-1 for a friend or family member having sudden trouble speaking or understanding; 42 percent would call 9-1-1 for a friend or family member having sudden numbness or weakness on one side of their body; and only 20 percent would call 9-1-1 for a friend or family member having sudden trouble seeing out of one or both eyes.
Older survey respondents were more likely than younger respondents to dial 9-1-1 for all three stroke situations.

The research indicates the need for everyone to understand how important it is to call emergency medical services right away when the common signs of acute stroke are apparent. In general, respondents were unaware of the advantages of EMS transport and the fact that public health recommendations advise the use of EMS over private transport. It is crucial to have paramedics on the scene as soon as possible to conduct stroke assessment, initiate stroke prehospital care, and communicate with the stroke hospital to ensure the staff is prepared for the patient’s arrival.

The earlier the treatment begins, the greater the chances of recovering from stroke. Current guidelines set forth by the Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), recommends treatment be administered within three hours of the initial onset of acute stroke symptoms for optimal patient outcomes and increased chances of stroke survival.

Calling 9-1-1 quickly when a friend or family member experiences stroke symptoms is critical to initiating the “Stroke Chain of Survival,” which was developed by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association. The “Stroke Chain of Survival” is a community-oriented protocol that links specific actions to be taken by patients and family members with recommended actions by stroke prehospital care providers, emergency department (ED) personnel and in-hospital specialty services. Rapid recognition and reaction to acute stroke warning signs and calling for emergency medical services is the first of four sequential phases, followed by rapid EMS dispatch, rapid EMS system transport and pre-arrival notification to the receiving hospital, and finally rapid diagnosis and treatment in the stroke hospital.

For more information on stroke certification requirements and more specifically, stroke certification for nurses, visit the overview of stroke courses offered online.

The information included in this article is based on the 2020 guidelines for CPR, first aid and advanced cardiovascular care.