Pay attention to subtle warning signs.

• Position: Stroke - Brief article

One of the biggest barriers to treating stroke effectively is that patients often do not realize quickly enough that they are having one, indicates a neurologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. Mehari Gebreyohanns says too few people recognize the symptoms of a stroke, in part because the warning signs can be so subtle that they do not prompt immediate action. As a result, just five percent of stroke victims receive an effective clot-busting drug called tPA, which the Food and Drug Administration recommends be administered within three hours of a stroke.

"If you or someone around you is experiencing sudden problems with vision, walking, or speech, you need to seek immediate medical attention," Gebreyohanns stresses. "Other stroke signs include sudden paralysis, droopiness, or numbness on one side of the face or body. Yet another potential symptom is a sudden, severe headache that...