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Acute Stroke
Warning Signs of a Stroke
  • 1. Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
  • 2. Sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding
  • 3. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
  • 4. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
  • 5. Sudden severe headache with no known cause

Facts About Stroke

  • photoStroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States.
  • More than 750,000 people have a stroke each year; 160,000 die from stroke.
  • Strokes cause more than twice as many deaths as breast cancer among American women.
  • African-Americans have twice the rate of stroke as Caucasian-Americans, and twice the death rate attributed to stroke.
  • Virginia and Washington, DC are part of the "Stroke Belt," an area with rates of stroke up to 10% higher than the rest of the country.
  • Obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, inactivity and overuse of alcohol are risk factors for stroke.