According to the American Stroke Association, stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, following diseases of the heart and all forms of cancer. The statistics are frightening: approximately 700,000 Americans have strokes each year and someone dies of a stroke every 3.1 minutes.

What is stroke?

Stroke occurs when there is an interruption in the flow of blood to cells in the brain. Deprived of oxygen from the blood, the cells die. A stroke occurs when: 1) a blockage in an artery prevents blood from reaching cells in the brain, or 2) an artery ruptures inside or outside the brain, causing hemorrhage.

There are two kinds of strokes:

1. Ischemic strokes are the most common. They occur when an artery is blocked and blood flow to the brain is stopped.
2. Hemorrhagic strokes occur through the rupture of either an artery outside the brain or an aneurysm (a blood-filled bulge in the artery wall) at the base of the brain. Twenty percent of all strokes suffered are hemorrhagic strokes.

Warning Signs of Possible Stroke

Call 9-1-1 immediately if you experience, or if you witness someone else experiencing, the following:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or difficulty understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Help Reduce Your Risk of Stroke

• Control your blood pressure
• Find out if you have heart disease, especially an irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation (AF), and get treatment
• Find out if you have diabetes and get treatment
• Don't smoke
• Lower your cholesterol
• Limit your alcohol use
• Control your weight