ShareCompartir
Persons using assistive technology might not be able to fully access information in this file. For assistance, please send e-mail to: mmwrq@cdc.gov. Type 508 Accommodation and the title of the report in the subject line of e-mail.
Approximately 795,000 strokes occur each year in the United States. A leading cause of disability, stroke occurs among all age groups, including newborns, children, young adults, and older adults (1), and will affect one in six persons worldwide during their lifetimes (2–4). This year's theme for World Stroke Day, October 29, is "Because I Care." It emphasizes that stroke is preventable and the benefits of prevention should be extended to the entire family (4).
With timely care and support, most stroke survivors can recover and regain their former quality of life. Everyone should take the following actions to reduce their likelihood of having a stroke: 1) know your personal risk factors for stroke, including high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, high blood cholesterol, atrial fibrillation, and a history of having a transient ischemic attack or previous stroke and control or manage these conditions by working with health-care providers; 2) engage in physical activity regularly; 3) maintain a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables; 4) limit alcohol consumption; 5) avoid cigarette smoke (if you smoke, seek help to stop now); and 6) learn to recognize the warning signs of a stroke* (call 9-1-1 immediately if you think someone is having a stroke).
CDC addresses stroke prevention through state-based programs to prevent heart disease and stroke, through the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry, and through many partnerships, including the Million Hearts Initiative. Additional information on stroke prevention is available from CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/stroke, and additional information about World Stroke Day is available at the World Stroke Organization website (4).
* 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; or sudden severe headache.
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
provided as a service to MMWR readers and do not constitute or imply
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.
All MMWR HTML versions of articles are electronic conversions from typeset documents.
This conversion might result in character translation or format errors in the HTML version.
Users are referred to the electronic PDF version (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr)
and/or the original MMWR paper copy for printable versions of official text, figures, and tables.
An original paper copy of this issue can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402-9371;
telephone: (202) 512-1800. Contact GPO for current prices.
**Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be addressed to
mmwrq@cdc.gov.
