[Study into what the population knows about strokes and vascular risk factors]

The application of treatments in the acute phase of a stroke makes it necessary to reduce as far as possible the time required for patients to reach hospital. One of the factors associated with delayed care is the population's scant knowledge about the disease.

Our aim is to analyse what the population knows about strokes and vascular risk factors, as well as their attitude towards it. To do so, we interviewed both patients who visited neurology departments and their relatives.

Altogether 386 interviews were carried out, with 158 females and 228 males and a mean age of 52 years. Two hundred and thirty subjects (59%) were unfamiliar with the Spanish term ictus, although they had heard of others, such as infarto or embolia. One hundred and seventy-five (45%) did not know any symptoms of a completed stroke, or answered incorrectly. The most widely recognised symptom (86%) is (partial) paralysis in one side of the body. Almost a third (32%) of the interviewees would not take a correct attitude if faced with symptoms of a stroke and if it were a transient ischaemic attack, 25% would not think it was serious. One hundred and ninety-eight (51%) did not know any vascular risk factors. Of those who answered correctly, the most frequently named factor is arterial hypertension. The factors related independently with a better knowledge of the disease are a high educational level and being young.

The general population knows little about strokes and vascular risk factors. Information campaigns are needed to improve the population's attitude towards this disease.