May is National Stroke Awareness Month

May is National Stroke Awareness Month so we’re here to call your attention to the statistics, recognizing strokes, and things you don’t know about strokes that may help you save a life.

In May alone, some 65,000 Americans will experience a stroke with many unaware that they were even at risk.  Less than a third will arrive in the emergency room within three hours, the optimal time period for better outcomes. 

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention we have some stunning statistics on strokes.

• Stroke kills about 140,000Americans each year—that’s 1 out of every 20 deaths.¹
• Someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. Every 4 minutes, someone dies of stroke.
• Every year, more than 795,000 peoplein the United States have a stroke. About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes.
• About 185,00 strokes—nearly 1 of 4—are in people who have had a previous stroke.
• About 87%of all strokes are ischemic strokes, in which blood flow to the brain is blocked.
• Stroke costs the United States an estimated $34 billioneach year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medicines to treat stroke, and missed days of work.
• Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability. Stroke reduces mobility in more than half of stroke survivors age 65 and over.

The National Stroke Association has provided a valuable infographic on preventing and recognizing strokes.

The National Heart Association has a list of 20 things you didn’t know about stroke that may save a life.  We have highlighted a few here.  To see the complete list, click here.

1. There are different types of strokes: ischemic, hemorrhagic and transient ischemic attack (TIA). An ischemic stroke is a clot-caused blockage in an artery to the brain, while a hemorrhagic stroke occurs when an artery ruptures in the brain. A TIA or “mini stroke” is caused by a temporary blockage. Eighty-seven percent of all strokes are ischemic.
2. About 66 percent of the time, someone other than the patient makes the decision to seek treatment – recognizing the warning signs and sudden symptoms of stroke to receive treatment fast, could help save a life.
3. Calling 9-1-1 and arriving at the hospital in an ambulance is the fastest way to get treated quickly during a stroke emergency. Driving to the hospital is a common mistake people make, that can result in longer wait times before the patient receives medical care.
4. Eighty percent of strokes are preventable. Eating healthfully, being physically active and controlling risk factors are important lifestyle changes that can help prevent and beat it.

Dean and Draper

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