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National Stroke Awareness Month --- May 2006
May is National Stroke Awareness Month. During 2006, an estimated 700,000 persons in the United States will have
a stroke; of these, approximately 158,000 (22.5%) will die from stroke
(1). Of the approximately 5 million U.S.
stroke survivors, 15%--30% are permanently disabled
(1).
Preventing and controlling stroke risk factors (e.g., high blood pressure and cholesterol, atrial fibrillation,
physical inactivity, tobacco use, and diabetes) are the most important steps in reducing a person's risk for having a stroke.
Recognizing the warning signs of stroke and immediately
calling for emergency medical care are the critical first steps in reducing the
risk for death and disability among persons who are having a stroke. The warning signs of stroke are 1) sudden numbness
or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body; 2) sudden confusion or trouble speaking
or understanding; 3) sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; 4) sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance
or coordination; and 5) sudden, severe headache with no known cause.
CDC supports programs in 32 states and the District of Columbia that emphasize multiple strategies for
targeting stroke and its risk factors in various settings and for ensuring that patients receive quality care. CDC also supports
stroke-care registries in several states designed to monitor and enhance the quality of care for stroke
patients. Additional information about state programs and the national stroke registry is available at
http://www.cdc.gov/cvh.
Information about stroke prevention and care is available at
http://www.strokeassociation.org,
http://www.stroke.org, and
http://www.ninds.nih.gov.
Reference
American Heart Association. Heart disease and stroke statistics---2006 update. Dallas, TX: American Heart Association; 2006.
Available at http://www.americanheart.org.
Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.References to non-CDC sites on the Internet are
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endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. CDC is not responsible for the content
of pages found at these sites. URL addresses listed in MMWR were current as of
the date of publication.
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