About the Stroke Collaborative

Why have these Organizations Formed a Stroke Collaborative?

The Stroke Collaborative is a joint campaign of the American Academy of Neurology, the American College of Emergency Physicians, and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. The Collaborative formed the "Give Me 5" For Stroke campaign in response to stroke team research conducted in 2007 with emergency physicians, neurologists, emergency nurses, and EMS providers.

The goals of the campaign are to:

Increase awareness among consumers of stroke symptoms, to call 9-1-1, and get to the emergency department fast, and
Bring together three leading organizations within the stroke team to assemble professional resources in one location and develop new resources (including materials for patient and caregiver) for the acute stroke team to provide optimal patient care.

Who are AAN, ACEP, and ASA?

American Academy of Neurology (AAN) —The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and stroke. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) — The American College of Emergency Physicians is a national medical specialty society representing emergency medicine with more than 25,000 members. ACEP is committed to advancing emergency care through continuing education, research and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and a Government Services Chapter representing emergency physicians employed by military branches and other government agencies. For more information, visit www.acep.org.
American Stroke Association (ASA) — The American Stroke Association is solely focused on reducing disability and death from stroke through research, education, fund raising and advocacy. The American Heart Association's commitment to stroke is clear with the creation of the American Stroke Association. ASA provides the basis for strong science, credibility, public and professional recognition and the ability to leverage a strong, existing national infrastructure. To learn more, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit www.strokeassociation.org.

Each organization appointed representative to the Joint Member Advisory Group.

Women especially need to know the warning signs, because they account for over 60 percent of the deaths from stroke. They are also the health information keepers for their families and must spread the word to their siblings, spouses, parents and friends about how to recognize a stroke.

The campaign coincides with new research — released in February 2008 at the International Stroke Conference — showing a tripling in the rate of strokes among middle-aged women, the campaign's targeted audience.

"This surge of strokes in middle-aged women in a short period is very alarming," said Dr. Ralph Sacco, a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "The important message of the "Give Me 5" campaign is early identification of stroke symptoms and early intervention by doctors in the emergency department. That can make the difference between life and death."

Why is the Stroke Collaborative Presenting a New Way to Remember the Warning Signs?

Other acronyms and devices are not inclusive of all stroke symptoms. All three of our organizations are members of the Brain Attack Coalition (BAC) and we all support an education program focusing on the "Sudden" signs of a stroke. The "Suddens" campaign is inclusive of all the warning signs (captures 100 percent of stroke symptoms) but it may be difficult to remember for the average consumer. Over the past few years, an alternative message, "FAST", has surfaced but it is not a message our organizations and the BAC support. Stroke warning signs are missing from "FAST" and since a person may only experience one symptom, it is important that all symptoms be remembered and acted upon quickly.

Why was "Give Me 5 for Stroke" Chosen?

To find a suitable alternative, the Stroke Collaborative wanted create a campaign and public message that is memorable and includes all the important stroke warning signs. We tested a new "Give Me Five" concept for communicating the warning signs of stroke to determine if it was more easily remembered among consumers than the standard "Suddens" warning signs. The result of the online survey of 1,000 people indicate that recall of all five warning signs with "Give Me Five" is nearly twice as high as the traditional warning signs. Twenty-one percent of those exposed recalled all five warning signs in some form versus 11 percent of those exposed to the traditional warning signs.

After extensive research and focus group testing, "Give Me 5 for Stroke: Walk, Talk, Reach, See, and Feel" was the easiest to remember and included all five signs of Stroke. An independent design firm came up with the concept and all three organizations AAN, ACEP and AHA/ASA agreed to its scientific validity and consumer friendly ease of recall.

What is a Stroke?

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of disability. However, research shows the public remains unaware of stroke's warning signs and the need for immediate medical attention, even if the symptoms subside. Call 9-1-1!

What are the Warning Signs of Stroke?

Walk — Is their balance off?
Talk — Is their speech slurred or face droopy?
Reach — Is one side weak or numb?
See — Is their vision all or partly lost?
Feel — Is their headache severe?