Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. It is also a leading cause of serious long-term disability. While most strokes occur in people aged 65 years or older, strokes can occur at any age.
Knowing the symptoms of stroke and calling 9-1-1 immediately if someone appears to be having a stroke are crucial steps in getting prompt emergency medical care for a stroke. 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.
Know Your Signs and Symptoms
The American Stroke Association
notes these five major signs of stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance and coordination.
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.
If you think someone is having a stroke, you should call 9–1–1 or emergency medical services immediately. Receiving immediate treatment is critical in lowering the risk of disability and even death.
Quick Facts
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. In 2006, 137,119 people died from stroke in the United States. - Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.
- About 795,000 strokes occur in the United States each year. About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes. About 185,000 occur in people who have already had a stroke before.
- Nearly three-quarters of all strokes occur in people aged 65 years or older. The risk of having a stroke doubles each decade after the age of 55.
- Strokes can—and do—occur at ANY age. Nearly 25% of strokes occur in people younger than age 65.
- Stroke death rates are higher for African Americans than for whites, even at younger ages.
- According to the American Heart Association, stroke will cost almost $73.7 billion in both direct and indirect costs in 2010.
- It has been noted for several decades that the southeastern United States has the highest stroke mortality rates in the country. It is not completely clear what factors might contribute to the higher incidence of and mortality from stroke in this region.
- People with a family history of stroke have a higher risk.
Healthy Lifestyle Choices Can Lower Your Stroke Risk
Knowing your risk of stroke and doing what you can to decrease or control your risk is the best approach to preventing stroke and stroke-related disability. All people can take steps to lower their risk for stroke, whether they have had a stroke or not. Things you can do to lower the risk of stroke include steps to prevent and control high blood pressure, heart disease, and other chronic conditions, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercise, not smoking, and not drinking too much alcohol (drinking more than two drinks per day on average for men or more than one drink per day on average for women).