Stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of serious disability for adults.1,2 About 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke each year.
2 Get more quick facts about stroke.
Stroke is preventable. You may be able to prevent stroke or lower your chances of having a stroke.
Stroke is treatable. Learn the signs of stroke, and call 9-1-1 right away if you think someone might be having a stroke. Getting fast treatment is important to preventing death and disability from stroke.
Learn About Stroke
Grantee Information
Stroke Survivor Stories
Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. Read these survivor stories to learn more about stroke, including how you may be at risk, how to recognize stroke, and what to do if stroke happens.
Spotlight on Stroke
Health departments can use the Stroke Systems of Care Framework to explore key steps to establish statewide stroke systems of care in their states and adapt strategies used by the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program grantees.
Use the Framework’s list of resources to support or enhance your program’s stroke activities.
Featured Items
2020 Hypertension Control Championsexternal icon
Million Hearts® recognized 15 health care practices and systems as 2020 Champions for their efforts to achieve blood pressure control for at least 80% of their adult patients with hypertension.
Stroke Communications Kit
Health professionals can share these social media messages, graphics, and resources to educate their audiences about the importance of stroke prevention.
Vital Signs: Preventing 1 Million Heart Attacks and Strokes
Heart disease and stroke are preventable, yet they remain leading causes of death, disability, and health care spending in the United States. Alarmingly, in 2016, more than 800,000 of these life-changing cardiovascular events happened to adults ages 35–64. The CDC Vital Signs highlights how Million Hearts® is focusing national efforts on preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2022. Learn how health systems and communities can keep people healthy, optimize care, and improve outcomes for priority populations.
DHDSP Recognizes Stroke Survivors
In observance of National Stroke Awareness Month this May, the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (DHDSP) is spotlighting stroke survivors and the importance of stroke awareness. Visit our Survivor Stories webpage to learn more about stroke and how it can happen to anyone, even fitness enthusiasts and new moms.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Multiple Cause of Death 1999–2019. CDC WONDER Online Database website. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2019. http://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10.html. Accessed February 1, 2021.
- Virani SS, Alonso A, Aparicio HJ, Benjamin EJ, Bittencourt MS, Callaway CW, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2021 update: a report from the American Heart Associationexternal icon. Circulation. 2021;143:e254–743.
This communications kit can help your audiences understand the basics of stroke, including signs and symptoms, the importance of a F.A.S.T. response during a stroke, and treatment.
Help the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (DHDSP) spread awareness. Share these messages and resources on your social media pages.
With the support of health professionals like you, DHDSP is better able to educate the public about stroke.
How Do I Use This Toolkit?
- Read and incorporate evidence-based policy tools and guides into your program.
- Link to resources that highlight stroke facts, signs of stroke, and ways to prevent stroke.
- Share messages and graphics with colleagues and individuals in your social networks.
- Use the additional stroke resources (e.g., stroke maps, data, the Stroke Systems of Care Framework) to improve patient care in your state.
Age increases your chances for stroke. The older you are, the more likely you are to have a stroke.
Stroke Risk
Age increases your chances for stroke. The older you are, the more likely you are to have a stroke.
Anyone can have a stroke at any age. But certain things can increase your chances of having a stroke. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from a stroke is to understand your risk and how to control it.
While you can’t control your age or family history, you can take steps to lower your chances of having a stroke.
Learn more about your risk for stroke:
About Stroke
A stroke happens when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain. This causes brain tissue to become damaged or die.
A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when something blocks blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. In either case, parts of the brain become damaged or die. A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death.
Learn more about what causes stroke and what happens during a stroke.
Understanding Stroke
To understand stroke, it helps to understand the brain. The brain controls our movements, stores our memories, and is the source of our thoughts, emotions, and language. The brain also controls many functions of the body, like breathing and digestion.
To work properly, your brain needs oxygen. Although your brain makes up only 2% of your body weight, it uses 20% of the oxygen you breathe.1 Your arteries deliver oxygen-rich blood to all parts of your brain.
What Happens During a Stroke
If something happens to block the flow of blood, brain cells start to die within minutes because they can’t get oxygen. This causes a stroke.
There are two types of stroke:
- An ischemic stroke occurs when blood clots or other particles block the blood vessels to the brain. Fatty deposits called plaque can also cause blockages by building up in the blood vessels.
- A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel bursts in the brain. Blood builds up and damages surrounding brain tissue.
Both types of stroke damage brain cells. Symptoms of that damage start to show in the parts of the body controlled by those brain cells.
Quick Treatment Is Critical for Stroke
A stroke is a serious medical condition that requires emergency care. Act F.A.S.Texternal icon. Call 9-1-1 right away if you or someone you are with shows any signs of a stroke. Time lost is brain lost. Every minute counts.
Reference
- Rink C, Khanna S. Significance of brain tissue oxygenation and the arachidonic acid cascade in strokeexternal icon. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. 2011;14(10):1889–1903.
Page last reviewed: August 2, 2021
Content source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion , Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Stroke Resources for Health Professionals
Stroke is preventable and treatable. Find resources and information to share with your patients to help them make healthy lifestyle changes and control health conditions that raise their risk for stroke. You can also find educational resources for you and other health professionals, including fact sheets, webinars, and journal articles, and resources to share on the web and social media, such as videos and graphics.
Patient Education Handouts
Educational Materials for Health Professionals
Publications
Communications Kit
Page last reviewed: October 15, 2018
Content source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion , Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Stroke Patient Education Handouts
Print and share these resources with your patients to help them make healthy lifestyle changes and control health conditions that raise their risk for stroke.
Stroke and You Series
Some medical conditions and lifestyle choices can put anyone—regardless of gender, ethnicity, or age—at risk for stroke. However, people in certain groups are more likely to have a stroke. The “Stroke and You” series highlights the prevention challenges these groups face and what CDC is doing to address them.
Know the Facts About Stroke
Share this easy-to-read, colorful web page and PDF to help patients learn what stroke is, how common it is, and what stroke’s signs and symptoms are. “Know the Facts About Stroke” also describes the risks, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of stroke.
Page last reviewed: March 17, 2021
Content source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion , Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
