Only a fraction of stroke patients each year are getting to the hospital in time to receive a new treatment that makes the difference between disability and full recovery. Act in Time, to help people overcome these barriers and to get medical help in time. Because stroke injures the brain, the person having the stroke may not be able to recognize the symptoms and take action. An alert bystander can be a hero and help a stroke patient get to the hospital quickly enough to receive treatments that can drastically reduce disability caused by stroke. T-PA dissolves the clots that cause most strokes.
Stroke symptoms appear suddenly.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability. Approximately 600,000 new strokes are reported in the United States annually and about 160,000 Americans die each year from stroke.