Conferences & Events
SBUMC Offers Free Stoke Screening To Raise Awareness During Naitonal Stroke Alert Month

STONY BROOK, NY, April 21, 2008 – On Monday May 5 from 10am-2:30pm, nurses from the Stony Brook University Medical Center Neurology Unit will conduct free stroke risk assessment screenings on Level 5 of the Hospital. Nurses will conduct another free screening session on Wednesday, May 21 from 10am-3pm at the Center Court of the Smithaven Mall, Lake Grove during National Hospital Week.

    Screenings are being conducted in conjunction with the National Stroke Alert Month and National Hospital Week, to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of stroke. Stroke is the third leading cause of death, the top cause of disability, and the single biggest reason why people are admitted to nursing homes. A stroke can cause paralysis, speech problems, loss of sensation, difficulties with thinking and memory, coma, and even death. Recovery can be long and is often incomplete, creating great burden on loved ones as well as patients. Every 45 seconds, someone has a stroke in the United States. Fortunately, effective ways exist to prevent many strokes. Knowing what to do when someone appears to be stricken can reduce the risk of permanent damage.
    
    Led by stroke Fellowship trained Candice J. Perkins, M.D., who is board certified in Neurology and board certified in Vascular Neurology, the Stroke Program at Stony Brook is dedicated to establishing a higher standard of medical care for individuals afflicted with stroke, SBUMC's Stroke Program is certified with the Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval™ for stroke care.  The program is also certified by the New York State Department of Health.  Stony Brook is the only hospital on Long Island to receive the certification from JCAHO and was one of the first three hospitals to be certified in New York when receiving initial certification in 2004.
 
    According to the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee (2007), approximately 700,000 people suffer a stroke each year and 500.000 of those stokes are first occurrences, while the rest are repeat strokes.  Also to note, stroke is the third leading cause of death in the nation. It accounts for about 1 in every 16 deaths. Thus, quality of care for stroke remains a critical part of healthcare services for Americans, including the thousands afflicted and recovering from stroke in populated regions like Suffolk County.

    The risk for a stroke in African Americans is almost twice that of whites. Over 43% of people over 85 have suffered a silent stroke and the estimate total cost of stroke for 2007 is $62.7 billion. What is even more alarming is that up to 40% of people in a recent study could not identify a single symptom of a stroke. While stroke is primarily thought of as a disease related to age, people of all ages, including children, can suffer from stroke.

    To find out more information about Stony Brook University Medical Centers Stroke Program and screenings, call Stony Brook University Medical Center HealthConnect® at 631-444-4000.

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