Strokes
A stroke occurs either when the blood supply to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing damage to a part of the brain. A stroke is also sometimes called a brain attack.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Strokes can cause significant disability such as paralysis, and speech and emotional problems. New treatments are available that can reduce the damage caused by a stroke for some victims but these treatments need to be given soon after the symptoms start.
The best treatment is to try to prevent a stroke by taking steps to lower your risk for stroke by exercising, eating and drinking alcohol in moderation, not smoking, and keeping your blood pressure under control.
If you think someone is have in stroke ask FAST questions:
FACE - Ask the person to smile.
Does one side of the face droop?
ARMS - Ask the person to raise both arms.
Does one arm drift downward?
SPEECH - Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.
Are the words slurred? Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly?
TIME -If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important.
Call 911 and assuring that the possible stroke victim receives treatment at a hospital within 3 hours are crucial for beneficial outcomes.
Stroke Facts
· Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, over 160,000 people die each year from stroke in the United States.
· Stroke is a leading cause of serious long–term disability.
· About 700,000 strokes occur in the United States each year. About 500,000 of these are first or new strokes. About 200,000 occur in people who have had a previous stroke.
· Nearly three–quarters of all strokes occur in people over the age of 65. The risk more than doubles each decade after the age of 55.
· Strokes can—and do—occur at ANY age. Nearly one quarter of strokes occur in people under the age of 65.
· More African Americans, of all ages, die from strokes than any other ethnic group.