Stroke summary
• Stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when a clot blocks the blood supply to the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.
• Stroke is a leading cause of death for both men and women. In 2006, 6 out of every 10 deaths due to stroke were in women.
• Stroke is an important cause of disability. In 2005, nearly 1.1 million stroke survivors reported difficulty performing basic activities of daily life.
• Common stroke warning signs and symptoms include—
o Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg—especially on one side of the body.
o Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
o Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
o Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
o Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
• You can’t control some stroke risk factors, such as heredity, age, gender, and ethnicity.
• Some medical conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, overweight or obesity, and previous stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), can raise also your stroke risk. Good control of theses conditions may decrease your risk
• Not smoking, not drinking excessively, and getting exercise are all choices you can make to reduce your risk.
• If you have any of the above risk factors discuss with your doctor how to reduce them
CDC
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