title: Knowledge of risk factors and stroke symptoms among nonstroke patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate knowledge of stroke warning signs, risk factors, treatment and prevention among patients not suffering from stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients admitted to one of five Neurology Departments in Poland for diseases other than stroke were asked to answer a questionnaire regarding awareness of cerebrovascular risk factors and stroke. The study was performed between November 1 and December 31,2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  481 patients were included in the study (59.7% women). Proper definition of stroke and transient ischemic attack was given by 90.3 and 60.5% of respondents, respectively. Hypertension was reported as a risk factor by 91.1% of participants. Approximately 70% knew that hypercholesterolemia and smoking are risk factors of stroke, but only one third identified diabetes mellitus as a risk factor. Cardiac arrhythmia was recognized as a risk factor by 8.4%. Twenty-five percent of participants did not know any symptom of stroke. Identification of stroke signs was worse by participants from rural areas. Ten percent identified disturbances of consciousness, numbness, and dizziness as stroke symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knowledge of fundamental risk factors was sufficiently good, but recognition of cardiac arrhythmia and diabetes mellitus was unsatisfactory. The knowledge of stroke symptoms was unsatisfactory, particularly in rural areas. Additional education programs are necessary.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiszniewska
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Głuszkiewicz
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Włodek
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jezierska-Ostapczuk
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fryze
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Członkowska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology; D001364:Awareness; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult