Stroke is the Nation’s Number Three Killer. Know the Signs. Act in Time.
Stroke is the nation’s number three killer and the leading cause of long-term disability in the United States. More than 700,000 Americans will suffer a stroke this year. Yet many Americans do not know the symptoms or what to do when they witness someone having a stroke. The following information is provided to you by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health.
“Stroke is an unmistakable event. Few other medical conditions come on so suddenly or are so noticeable to a bystander,” said John R. Marler, M.D., associate director for clinical trials at NINDS.
A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. Brain cells die when deprived of oxygen and nutrients provided by blood. Because stroke injures the brain, if you are having a stroke, you may not realize what is happening. But to a bystander, the signs of a stroke are distinct:
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg (especially on one side of the body);
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking...