Cut the risks of a major stroke

clipped from news.yahoo.com Treating patients quickly for mini-strokes could dramatically cut the risk of a major stroke later, report two studies that could change standard treatment and potentially save millions of people from stroke's damaging effects. patients treated within 24 hours of having a mini-stroke cut their chances by 80 percent of having a more serious stroke in the next three months. Such large reductions in risk are rare "We normally get excited about 10 to 15 percent." In the U.K., most patients who have small strokes are referred by their doctors to specialist clinics. Many wait several weeks before being treated. In the United States too, many people are sent home within a day if their symptoms seem to resolve. Mini-strokes have the same symptoms as a big stroke, including facial numbness, slurred speech, paralysis on one side of the body, blurry vision or a sudden headache. But in small strokes, the symptoms last less than a day. minor strokes should now be classified as medical emergencies