Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, behind heart diseases and cancer. An estimated 600,000 people suffer strokes each year, according to the American Heart Association. About 160,000 of those strokes are fatal. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying oxygen and nutrients to the brain bursts or gets blocked by a blood clot. Nerve cells in the affected area of the brain can't function and die within minutes.
Symptoms can range from severe headache to sudden numbness to trouble speaking, seeing or walking.
Most patients wait an average of 22 hours before seeking medical help, according to the American Heart Association. Only 3 to 5 percent of patients eligible for the clot-dissolving drugs known as tissue plasminogen activators get to the hospital in time to receive the treatment. The ultimate goal of Operation Stroke is to increase that number to 20 percent within the next four years, Lada said. We can put you on medicine. Operation Stroke organizers plan to spread this message to the public with ads, community speeches and other outreach efforts.