Facts About Stroke

• Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States.
• More than 750,000 people have a stroke each year; 160,000 die from stroke.
• Strokes cause more than twice as many deaths as breast cancer among American women.
• African-Americans have twice the rate of stroke as Caucasian-Americans, and twice the death rate attributed to stroke.
• Virginia and Washington, DC are part of the "Stroke Belt," an area with rates of stroke up to 10% higher than the rest of the country.
• Obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, inactivity and overuse of alcohol are risk factors for stroke.