The Brain Attack Stroke is the third leading cause of death in America and the leading cause of adult-onset disability. Yet six out of ten Americans don't even know where in the body a stroke occurs. If you don't know, you're not alone. According to recent studies, almost everyone knows what a heart attack is and that having a heart attack is an emergency. Calling 911 when someone is having a heart attack is second nature to most of us.
Strokes occur when the brain's blood supply is interrupted by a clogged or a burst artery.
This interruption of blood flow stops oxygen to the brain and kills brain cells. It's the death of brain cells that results in permanent damage and disability - the tragic aftermath of many strokes. It used to be that a person who actually survived a stroke was likely to spend the rest of his or her life in a nursing home, with a severe disability. Now, according to Melissa Hawk, RN, stroke coordinator for Mount Carmel, that's no longer the case. For instance, Mount Carmel uses tPA and participates in two drug trials to try to find additional pharmaceutical interventions to lessen the long-term effects of stroke.