A brain attack or stroke is a 911 emergency. Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the United States with 550,000 new strokes per year. Strokes are the leading cause of disability and have no respect for age, striking the young as well as the older members of the population. The incidence is higher among men than women, and doubles for each decade in life after age 55 for both sexes.
Strokes are preventable.
Major risks for strokes are hypertension, heart disease, previous cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attacks, carotid bruit, diabetes mellitus, smoking, obesity and high cholesterol levels. Many of these factors are amenable to personal life style changes or medical therapeutic interventions, while others may require surgical intervention. Other factors such as aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage may not be preventable. If you experience these symptoms, call 911 or go directly to the nearest emergency room. Neural damage after a stroke is progressive.