Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the major cause of long-term disability, morbidity, and hospital admission. Someone will suffer a new or a recurrent stroke every 45 seconds. Nationally, an estimated 700,000 strokes annually occur.  Stroke is considered unique among neurological diseases because it is highly prevalent, it carries significant burden of illness and high economic cost, and it is largely preventable.  The staggering economic burden in direct and indirect cost exceeds $53.5 billion. North Carolina is located in the “Stroke Belt” where stroke death rates are two times higher than the national average. The state ranks in the top10% nationally for stroke mortality.  However, stroke is largely preventable.

The North Carolina Stroke Association’s goal for the Stroke Risk Identification Program is to provide a viable screening service with a continuity of quality to the community. Kate B. Reynolds Foundation  provided the Stroke Risk Identification Program with its pilot funding. Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals provided subsequent research funding for the stroke association to test the program’s efficacy. The stroke association was then able to create a screening data and reporting system.

The Stroke Risk Identification Program objective is to provide community screenings throughout the state. The program is designed to be facilitated by the North Carolina Stroke Association’s Partnership Hospitals and to screen people for the stroke risk factors. These include unhealthy lifestyle habits such as sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits, and smoking. The service checks blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL/HDL/Triglycerides, sugar, irregular pulse, and carotid bruits.  Many individuals remain continuously exposed to avoidable risk because of the lack of adequate or timely identification and treatment. People who are found to be at risk are counseled on the importance of intervention with their physician. If they do not have a physician or if they do not have health insurance, they are routed to community resources.

 The North Carolina Stroke Association and its Partnerships have provided over 12,000 screenings.