In honor of National Stroke Awareness Month, here s what you should know about this potential threat. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and one of the leading causes of adult disability in the United States.
National statistics indicate that someone in the United States suffers a stroke every minute.
Unfortunately, one of the major problems is that most people are not aware of stroke symptoms or what to do in the case of an emergency. In fact, the National Stroke Association reports that 38 percent of adults who participated in a survey had no idea where stroke occurs in the body. Over two-thirds of these adults were completely unaware of the urgency associated with stroke symptoms. Many also reported they would likely wait up to 24 hours after stroke symptoms begin before seeking medical assistance, which increases the likelihood of complications and brain damage. A stroke occurs when the blood flow to the brain is interrupted, maybe by a blood clot or by a break in a blood vessel.