A woman with her arm around a man's shoulder
A woman with her arm around a man's shoulder

Understanding
stroke

Be educated on the warning signs and how to minimize the risk of a stroke.

Hear from stroke survivors

Meet Katherine Wolf, a stroke survivor who suffered from a catastrophic stroke when she was just 26 years old, and was later found to have a 2nd aneurysm requiring treatment. Continuing in her recovery to this day, Katherine has used her second-chance life to advocate for those affected by disability and challenges us all to embrace our own good/hard story.

  

  

What is stroke?

  

  

What is a stroke?

In order to know how to treat a stroke, we must first understand what exactly a stroke is. A stroke occurs when blood flow is either blocked (ischemic stroke) or an artery bursts (hemorrhagic stroke). When this happens, the brain doesn’t get the blood it needs to function properly. Depending on the severity of the stroke and the area of the brain affected, loss of brain function or death may occur. Motor function, speech and memory are examples of bodily functions that may be impacted.

  

When someone is having a stroke and time stands still, you need to act fast. Quick action and emergency medical intervention can make a big difference for the patient.

  

Global background
Global background

Stroke facts

1 in 4 people

1 in 4 people will suffer a stroke in their lifetime

  

Global

Stroke is the second leading cause of death globally

  

Disability

Stroke is the leading cause of disability around the world

  

Leading cause

Stroke is responsible for more global deaths annually than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined

  

  

Symptoms of a stroke

 

Stroke is an emergency. Learn to recognize the signs of stroke. B.E. F.A.S.T. and help save lives.

Any one of these signs may indicate an acute ischemic stroke. If the person exhibits one or more of these signs, call Emergency Services immediately.

 

Balance

Balance

Is the person experiencing sudden loss of balance or dizziness?

 

Eyes

Eyes

Is the person experiencing vision loss or blurriness?

 

Face

Face

Can the person smile, has their mouth drooped?

 

Arm

Arm

Can the person raise both arms?

 

Speech

Speech

Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?

 

Time

Time

Call emergency services immediately.

 

  

  

What are the risk factors of a stroke?

There are 10 major risk factors that contribute to about 90% of strokes.
Both men and women of any age have the potential to be at risk.
Many of these potential risk factors are preventable.

 

These risk factors include the following:

 

High blood pressure

 

High blood pressure

 

Lack of physical activity

 

Lack of physical activity

 

Diet

 

Diet

 

Smoking

 

Smoking

 

Alcohol consumption

 

Alcohol consumption

 

Atrial fibrillation

 

Atrial Fibrillation (AFib)

 

Sleep apnea

 

Sleep apnea

 

Obesity

 

Obesity

 

High cholesterol

 

High cholesterol

 

Diabetes mellitus

 

Diabetes mellitus

 

  

  

Stroke is treatable

Stroke is treatable

Stroke generally happens suddenly. When it does, medical care needs to be administered as quickly as possible. It’s not only important to recognize the signs and symptoms of stroke, but to also know the available treatment options and hospitals that have the capacity to perform life-saving procedures.

The three methods of treating stroke are medical management, endovascular treatment, or surgical intervention, which is the most invasive. The physician will determine the best course of treatment depending on the type of stroke, the patient’s risk factors, the severity of the stroke and other risk factors.

  

Stroke awareness resources

Help raise stroke awareness by sharing this information in your social spaces.

Spread the word

  

Patient information

Discover resources for patients.

Learn More