Stroke Program
A stroke is when a vessel carrying blood/oxygen to the brain is blocked.
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel carrying blood and oxygen to the brain gets blocked or ruptures, resulting in injury to the brain and stroke symptoms due to absence of blood flow and oxygen. Strokes can happen at any age, but nearly one-third of all strokes happen to people under age 65. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and a major cause of disability in adults. See Stroke Warning Signs for more information about stroke symptoms.
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery for a short time. The symptoms of TIA are the same as the stroke symptoms but last only for a few minutes or hours. A TIA is a sign that you are at risk for a major stroke in the next few days or weeks. If you have symptoms of a TIA call 911 immediately.
We see, hear and read a lot about strokes. But what do we really know about them? It’s important to separate facts from myths since stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, as reported by the American Stroke Association. Read more!
MS, APRN, FNP-BC, SCRN