Vidant Medical Center participates in World Stroke Day | Eastern North Carolina Now

For Immediate Release

    GREENVILLE     October 29 is World Stroke Day and Vidant Medical Center is teaming up with the World Stroke Campaign to educate and raise awareness about the dangers of the disease.

    Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and serious, long-term disability in the United States. According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, a person suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year. In eastern North Carolina, the rate of stroke is higher than the national average. While the disease can be fatal or cause permanent disability, it can be prevented and treated.

    The theme of World Stroke Day is "Because I care..."

    •I want you to know the facts about stroke

    •I want you to learn how to prevent the assault of stroke

    •I will break the myths surrounding stroke, e.g., "stroke only happens later in life"

    •I want you to have access to the best possible treatment

    •I will ensure that you receive quality treatment, care and support

    •I will be with you every step of the way towards your full recovery

    The campaign also asks people to commit to six stroke challenges:

    1. Know your personal risk factors: high blood pressure, diabetes, and high blood cholesterol.

    2. Be physically active and exercise regularly.

    3. Maintain a healthy diet high in fruit and vegetable and low in salt to stay healthy and keep blood pressure low.

    4. Limit alcohol consumption.

    5. Avoid cigarette smoke. If you smoke, seek help to stop now.

    6. Learn to recognize the warning signs of a stroke and how to take action.

    Vidant Medical Center is home to a certified primary stroke center and recently earned the 2012 Get with the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award from the

    American Heart Association. The award recognizes Vidant Medical Center's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted guidelines.

    Vidant Medical Center is dedicated to educating eastern North Carolina about the dangers of stroke, the signs and symptoms and preventive measures, as supported by the World Stroke Campaign, the North Carolina Stroke Association and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

    About the World Stroke Organization - The World Stroke Campaign aims to disseminate essential life-saving information and share knowledge about actions and lifestyle behaviors that could avert the assault of stroke. The campaign will also identify opportunities to improve and educate the lay public on the fundamental need for appropriate and quality long-term care and support for stroke survivors, including the empowerment of stroke care-providers. For more information about the World Stroke Organization visit www.worldstrokecampaign.org.

    About Get with the Guidelines - Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's hospital-based quality improvement program that empowers health care teams to save lives and reduce health care costs by helping hospitals follow evidence-based guidelines and recommendations. For more information, visit heart.org/quality.

Contact: Carissa Etters, Strategic Development, 252-847-0413 or Carissa.Etters@VidantHealth.com


   Contact: Carissa Etters, Strategic Development, (252) 847-0413 or Carissa.Etters@VidantHealth.com or Doug Boyd, East Carolina University News Services, (252) 744-2482 or boydd@ecu.edu

    Vidant Health, a mission-driven, not-for-profit corporation, owns, leases or has a majority membership interest in nine eastern North Carolina hospitals and has a management agreement with one other. The health system includes Albemarle Health, Vidant Beaufort Hospital, Vidant Bertie Hospital, Vidant Chowan Hospital, Vidant Duplin Hospital, Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, The Outer Banks Hospital, Vidant Medical Center, Vidant Pungo Hospital, Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Vidant Home Health and Hospice, Vidant Wellness Centers, Vidant Medical Group and is affiliated with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. On the web at www.vidanthealth.com.