A stroke, also known as a ‘brain attack’, occurs when blood, and therefore oxygen, is cut off to the brain.1 In the UK, strokes are the third largest cause of death after heart disease and cancer, with around 111,000 people suffering from strokes each year.2
During a stroke, around two million brain cells die each minute, the result of which can be permanent brain damage afterwards.3 The high instance of resulting permanent brain damage means that strokes are the largest cause of adult disability in Britain. 2, 4 In the most severe cases a stroke can result in death. Recognising the symptoms of a stroke, and acting quickly to seek treatment, can prevent death and help to limit long term brain damage.
In the US about 780,000 people a year suffer from strokes, of which about 160,000 people die. This number also makes strokes the third leading cause of death in America.3
Although a stroke can happen to anyone regardless of race, sex, or age, many strokes can be prevented by making certain lifestyle modifications, including eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, drinking alcohol in moderation, and not smoking.3 Certain other factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, and family medical history cannot be changed, but are known to increase your risk of having a stroke.
Strokes can usually be treated successfully using medication or surgery, or both. In most cases, stroke patients require long periods of rehabilitation in order to regain full use of their body, but even with this rehabilitation, some people don’t fully recover.2 About one million people in the UK suffer from permanent disabilities as a result of a stroke, and around half of these rely on other people for help with everyday activities.5
Most strokes occur in people who are sixty-five years of age or older. The average number of strokes per year rises dramatically within older age groups: in the UK about one in a hundred people over seventy-five years of age has a stroke.5 There is also a significant increase in the chance that once you’ve had a stroke you could have another one. In Britain, the risk of a recurrent stroke within five years of the first stroke is between 30% and 40%.5
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Last Updated 12/06/2009 13:19:18
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