Strokes are serious business.
About 730,000 Americans each year have a stroke, and someone in the United States experiences a stroke every minute of the day. Strokes are the nation's leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death. But they don't have to be such a threat. The effects can include blindness and the inability to speak, walk or move various body parts. Strokes are usually caused by high blood pressure or a hardening of the arteries.