Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the United States, killing 143,579 people in 2005. A stroke is a serious medical emergency. It is important to know the causes and symptoms of this condition in order to practice prevention and to be able to recognize the signs in yourself or others. If you feel you are having symptoms of a stroke or recognize the symptoms in someone else, call 911 for immediate medical care.
Facts
There are 6,500,000 stroke survivors living in the United States.
African American males and females are more prone to stroke than white males and females.
There are signs of hope regarding the incidence of stroke in the U.S.
According to the American Heart Association, statistics show that from 1995 to 2005, the stroke death rate fell 29.7 percent and the actual number of stroke deaths declined 13.5 percent.
Causes
Blockage of an artery, cerebral hemorrhage, an embolic stroke, vasculitis and a severe migraine headache are causes of a stroke.
80 percent of strokes are caused by a clot or thrombosis blocking an artery in the brain, depriving the area of blood and oxygen and causing those brain cells die.
A cerebral hemorrhage occurs when a weakened artery ruptures or leaks in the brain; the blood compresses the brain and damages the surrounding brain cells.
When an emboli or a piece of plaque separates, travels through the arteries and lodges in an artery in the brain, it deprives the area of blood and oxygen and kills the tissues.
Vasculitis is a rare cause of inflammation of the brain, and in some cases a severe migraine headache can mimic a stroke.
Symptoms
The symptoms of a stroke depends on the affected area of the brain and the extent of the injury. The symptoms come on suddenly, there is usually no pain and the stroke often occurs at nights during sleep. Symptoms include: weakness in the arms and legs, usually on one or both sides of the body along with loss of control; numbness and weakness of the facial muscles, the tongue and the lips; noted confusion, along with the inability to speak and to understand; vision may be blurred, usually in one eye; and you may experience dizziness and difficulty walking, along with a severe headache.
Risk Factors
Individuals over 55 years, people with hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol, and smokers have a higher risk of having a stroke.
Prevention/Solution
The most important factor in preventing a stroke is to control your blood pressure levels. You should avoid smoking and control your cholesterol level. Diabetics should control their blood sugar levels.
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