| Stroke Information
If you see or have one or more of these symptoms, don’t wait! Call 911 right away!
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Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
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Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech
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Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
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Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination.
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Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
Treatment can be more effective if given quickly. Every minute counts!!
High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke!
75 – 80% of all strokes are preventable!
About 5,500,000 stroke survivors are alive today.
Studies show that about 700,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
In 2003, females accounted for 61.0 percent of stroke deaths.
From 1993 to 2003 the death rate from stroke declined 18.5 percent, and the actual number of stroke deaths declined 0.7 percent.
Stroke prevention is still the best medicine. The most important treatable conditions linked to stroke are:
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High blood pressure. Treat it! Eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, and exercise to reduce blood pressure. Drugs are also available.
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Cigarette smoking. Quit! Medical help is available to help quit.
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Heart disease. Manage it! A doctor can treat heart disease and may prescribe medication to help prevent the formation of clots. If you are over 50, NINDS scientists believe you and a doctor should make a decision about aspirin therapy.
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Diabetes. Control it! Treatment may delay complications that increase the risk of stroke.
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Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Seek help! TIAs are small strokes that last only a few minutes or hours. They should never be ignored and can be treated with drugs or surgery.
For more information about stroke, please visit http://www.ninds.nih.gov.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Bethesda, MD 20892
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