ATLANTA - The government said Thursday that nearly half of all deaths from stroke happen before the victim can get to a hospital. <br>
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged Americans to brush up on warning signs. <br>
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The CDC said of the 167,366 stroke deaths in the United States in 1999, 80,589 -- 48 percent -- happened before the patient arrived at the emergency room. <br>
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Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the United States, behind only heart disease and cancer. About 500,000 Americans suffer their first stroke each year. <br>
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Still, surveys show many Americans are unaware of the five most common sudden warning signs of stroke -- numbness or weakness, dim vision, dizziness, severe headache and confusion or difficulty speaking. <br>
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High blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking are all long-term risk factors. <br>
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People 85 and older were most likely to die of stroke before getting to a hospital -- about 64 percent of the time. The CDC said do-not-resuscitate orders given in care facilities probably account for part of the high number.
