May is National Stroke Awareness Month.
-Stroke can happen to anyone at any age.
-80% of all strokes are preventable.
-Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the -U.S. and a leading cause of severe disability.
-On average, one person dies from stroke every 4 minutes.
-More than 795,000 people have a stroke each year in the U.S.
-Stroke kills almost 130,000 of the 800,000
-Americans who die of cardiovascular disease each year—that’s 1 out of every 19 deaths from all causes.
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Prevent stroke by following the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Life’s Simple 7 tips:
•Manage blood pressure
•Control cholesterol
•Reduce blood sugar
•Get active
•Eat eetter
•Lose weight
•Stop smoking
According to the National Stroke Association, a person experiencing a stroke can be treated if people have acted FAST - 80% of strokes can also be prevented. FAST being an acronym for things to check in a suspected stroke victim:
F - Face / Does the face droop on one side when the person smiles?
A - Arm / After raising both arms, does one of the arms drift downwards?
S - Speech /After repeating a simple phrase, does the persons speech sound slurred or strange?
T - Time / If any or all of the above are observed call for 9-1-1 and ask for medical assistance.
