Avoiding a real stroke. Here are the real signs.

There are people of all ages suffering from strokes across the country and it is important that you are aware of the signs.

	Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Over 143,579 people die each year from stroke in the United States.  Stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States.
	Each year, about 795,000 people suffer a stroke. About 600,000 of these are first attacks, and 185,000 are recurrent attacks.
	Nearly three-quarters of all strokes occur in people over the age of 65. The risk of having a stroke more than doubles each decade after the age of 55.
	Strokes can—and do—occur at ANY age. Nearly one quarter of strokes occur in people under the age of 65.
	Stroke death rates are higher for African Americans than for whites, even at younger ages.
	Among adults age 20 and older, the prevalence of stroke in 2005 was 6,500,000 (about 2,600,000 males and 3,900,000 females).
	On average, every 40 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke.
	Each year, about 55,000 more women than men have a stroke.Men’s stroke incidence rates are greater than women’s at younger ages but not at older ages. The male/female incidence ratio is 1.25 at ages 55–64; 1.50 for ages 65–74; 1.07 at 75–84 and 0.76 at 85 and older.
	Of all strokes, 87 percent are ischemic, 10 percent are intracerebral hemorrhage, and 3 percent are subarachnoid hemorrhage.
	Stroke accounted for about one of every 17 deaths in the United States in 2005. Stroke mortality for 2005 was 143,579 (56,586 males, 86,993 females).
	From 1995–2005, the stroke death rate fell 29.7 percent and the actual number of stroke deaths declined 13.5 percent.
	The risk of ischemic stroke in current smokers is about double that of nonsmokers after adjustment for other risk factors.
	Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an independent risk factor for stroke, increasing risk about five-fold.
	High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for stroke.

Here is what I pulled down from the American Stroke Association

	Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
	Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
	Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
	Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
	Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical services (EMS) number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can be sent for you.

Also, check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared. It's very important to take immediate action. If given within 3 hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) may reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke.

tPA is the only FDA-approved medication for the treatment of stroke within three hours of stroke symptom onset.

A TIA or transient ischemic attack is a "warning stroke" or "mini-stroke" that produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage. Recognizing and treating TIAs can reduce your risk of a major stroke. 

The usual TIA symptoms are the same as those of stroke, only temporary. The short duration of these symptoms and lack of permanent brain injury is the main difference between TIA and stroke.