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Stroke Facts

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A Stroke Is:

Illustration of brain
A stroke occurs when there's an interruption to the brain's blood supply leading to damaged brain cell and injury.

Prevention Matters

Infographic with an arrow pointing upwards and 64% in red letters under it

64% higher stroke risk in people with 
obesity vs. healthy weight

An circle infographic with a heart symbol and the text 80% preventable text over it

80% of heart disease and stroke is 
preventable through lifestyle changes

An infographic with a no smoking image and text saying 5 years after quitting smoking, stroke risk returns to near-normal within 5 years

After quitting smoking, stroke risk 
returns to near-normal within 5 years

Major Types

13% of strokes are hemorrhagic
Chart indicating 13% hemorrhagic vs 87% ischemic strokes
87% of strokes are ischemic

Prevalence

An infographic that says Stroke is Rising
An infographic that says By 2050, stroke will affect twice as many Americans as it does today
infographic that says 1 in 4 will suffer a stroke at some point in their life
An infographic that says 800,000 - The number of strokes in the U.S. each year
An infographic that says Stroke is now the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S.

Gender

A red circle infograph with a faded female icon and the text 57% in w

Women account for 57% of all 
stroke deaths 

2x red brain

Each year stroke kills 2x as many 
women as breast cancer.

1 in 5

In the United States 1 in 5 women 
will have a stroke

Ethnicity

Infographic with a big 2x and it says under that Stroke kills twice as many African Americans as Caucasians, with more severe and disabling effects.
Infographic that says Stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death in Hispanic women and 4th for Hispanic men

Age

Infographic showing stroke prevalence by age group
Infogram showing an 8% increase in stroke death rates among adults afed 25 to 34 between 2013 and 2023
Stroke reduces mobility

Who Knew

infographic of woman in pain

IN A RECENT SURVEY
 

93% of respondents recognized that sudden numbness on one side as a symptom of stroke.

Inforgraphic of symbols

Only 38% were aware of all major symptoms and knew to call 9-1-1 when someone is having a stroke.

Know the Signs of a
Stroke

Every minute matters when seeking treatment for a stroke, so it is vital to know the signs, symptoms and when to request medical assistance. BEFAST (Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, Time) is a checklist to help quickly identify the most common signs of a stroke.

Learn More