Stroke: Adding up the Numbers as a Major Cause of Death and Disability

• Stroke occurs every 40 seconds
• Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer strokes each year.
• Stroke is the number-one cause of disability in the U.S.
• Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S.
• More than four million people have survived a stroke and live with some form of neurological impairment or disability.
• Eighty-seven percent of strokes are due to ischemia, a reduction or sudden interruption of blood supply to the brain, mainly caused by blood clots.
• Thirteen percent of strokes are hemorrhagic, caused by ruptured blood vessels.
• One in 15 people will develop a brain aneurysm in their lifetime.
• Stroke may occur at any age, but after 55, the risk of having a stroke doubles each decade.
• The overall economic impact of stroke exceeds $45 billion annually in the U.S.
• Stroke generally considered to be a medical problem, occurs when blood flow to the brain is suddenly blocked. The blood supply to an area of the brain is suddenly disrupted, causing that area to cease to function and leaving the patient with neurological damage. Medical care is directed at trying to preserve as much of this neurological function as possible, minimizing injury to the healthy brain surrounding the area of stroke, and reducing the risk of future stroke. Rehabilitation is important to help regain as much function as possible, and to help the patient learn to cope with any function that does not return.