Thousands of people are putting themselves at risk of a major stroke by dismissing their symptoms and are unaware that they are having a mini-stroke; a report has warned.
The Stroke Association's latest report, Not just a funny turn, which is supported by Legal & General found over a third of people (37%) having a mini-stroke thought it was a ‘funny turn'.
Just one in five people (22%) experiencing symptoms of a mini-stroke rang 999 while almost half (47%) said the symptoms didn't feel like an emergency.
A fifth of people (20%) went on to have a major stroke, the research found.
If mini-strokes (also known as a TIA or transient ischaemic attack) are treated in time, around 10,000 strokes could be prevented annually and the NHS and care services could save more than £200 million.
Every year, around 46,000 people in the UK have a mini-stroke for the first time. The symptoms are the same as stroke but last for a short time and people appear to return to normal.
Graham Precey, head of corporate & social responsibility for Legal & General Group, said: "We hope that through our funding and support for Action on Stroke Month and the Stroke Association's Not just a funny turn campaign, we will gain a better insight into the ways a mini-stroke can change people's lives.
"Working together our aim is to improve awareness and understanding of both mini-strokes and full stokes and the preventative measure that we should take. The short and long-term impact that a mini-stroke may have is still not fully understood."
The launch of the Not just a funny turn campaign and report marks the start of Action on Stroke Month 2014, which is supported by Legal & General.
