Nearly 800,000 Americans have a stroke every year, leading to 133,000 deaths annually. Statistics show that someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds, someone dies of stroke every four minutes. Stroke is the leading cause of serious, preventable long-term disability.
Eighty percent of strokes can be prevented, with high blood pressure being the most important controllable risk factor. The American Stroke Association has a great infographic on the importance of controlling blood pressure to prevent stroke.
Identifying the early symptoms of stroke can be the difference between life and death or full recovery and long-term disability. The F.A.S.T exam is a great tool to identify stroke symptoms. Take the Stroke Hero FAST Quiz here. (Sue Bergmann)
