Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the US, killing over 133,000 people each year. There are an estimated 7,000,000 stroke survivors in the U.S. over age 20. Approximately 795,000 strokes will occur this year, one occurring every 40 seconds, and taking a life approximately every four minutes. Women are twice more likely to die from stroke than breast cancer annually. Approximately 55,000 more women than men have a stroke each year.
A stroke happens when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. A stroke is sometimes called a “brain attack.” If blood flow stops longer than a few seconds, the brain cannot get blood and oxygen. Brain cells can die and cause permanent damage. This can be due to ischemia (lack of blood flow), blockage (thrombosis, arterial embolism), or a hemorrhage.
There are two major types of stroke: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain is blocked by a blood clot. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel becomes weak, bursts open and leaks blood into the brain.
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The symptoms of stroke depend on the part of the brain that is damaged. Do not that a person may not know that he or she has had a stroke. Common symptoms include sudden and severe headache, alertness problems, clumsiness, confusion, difficulty swallowing, writing or reading, dizziness, loss of balance, loss of coordination, abrupt eyesight problems, numbness and tingling on one side of the body, and trouble hearing, tasting, speaking or understanding.
Risk factors include high blood pressure, old age, previous stroke, high cholesterol, diabetes, tobacco smoking and atrial fibrillation. Know your blood pressure, stop smoking & control your alcohol use, control diabetes, know your cholesterol level, and maintain your weight. Also, act FAST as the first warning sign of stroke.
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F = Face (does one side of the face droop when smiling?)
A = Arms (does one arm drift downwards when raising both arms?)
S= Speech (does the word slur or sound strange when talking?)
T = Time (call 9-1-1 immediately)
A stroke is a medical emergency. Call 911 at the first sign of stroke. It’s important to get to a hospital as fast as possible.