Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the UK and the leading cause of severe adult disability
What is a Stroke?
Strokes often occur when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain. Some strokes are caused by bleeding in or around the brain from a burst blood vessel. The symptons can be loss of vision, weakness of the arm and legs and sluring of speech.
TIA - Transient Ischaemic Attack
A transient ischaemic attack (TIA), or 'mini-stroke', is caused by a temporary fall in the blood supply to part of the brain, leading to a lack of oxygen to the brain. This can cause symptoms that are similar to a stroke, although they don’t last as long.
The FAST - Campaign
Recognise the signs of stroke and understand the importance of rapid emergency treatment by using the FAST test:
- Face — can the person smile? Has the person’s mouth or eye drooped?
- Arm — can the person raise both arms?
- Speech — can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
- Time to call 999 — if the person has any one of these symptoms call an ambulance
Other symptoms may include sudden blurred vision or loss of sight, confusion or unsteadiness and severe headache.
Stroke Facts and Figures
- Stroke is currently the third leading cause of death in the UK and the single largest cause of adult disability in England
- An estimated 150,000 people have a stroke in the UK each year
- There are over 67,000 deaths due to stroke each year in the UK
- Stroke is the third most common cause of death in England and Wales, after heart disease and cancer
- Stroke accounts for 9 per cent of all deaths in men and 13 per cent of deaths in women in the UK
- Stroke has a greater disability impact than any other chronic disease. Over 300,000 people are living with moderate to severe disabilities as a result of stroke
- The total costs of stroke care are predicted to rise in real terms by 30 per cent between 1991 and 2010
- Stroke patients occupy around 20 per cent of all acute hospital beds and 25 per cent of long term beds
- Stroke units save lives: for stroke patients general wards have a 14% to 25% higher mortality rate than stroke units
- Each year over 130,000 people in England and Wales have a stroke. About 10,000 of these are under retirement age
More Information
NHS Choices - Strokes