Stroke Facts
All Data Refer to the United States
  • At least 600,000 people suffer a stroke each year.1
  • Stroke is the third leading cause of death (160,000 deaths annually). 1
  • From 1987 to 1997 the death rate following a stroke fell 13.9 percent. However because the number of strokes occuring each year has increased, the actual number of stroke deaths rose 6.6 percent.1
  • The risk of having a stroke and of dying from one increases with age; yet a significant number of strokes occur in people under the age of 65.1
  • About 4,400,000 stroke survivors are alive today--just over half being women.1
  • The annual cost of stroke-related care is estimated at over $51 billion. 2
  • Many patients greatly fear living with some of the disabilities that are commonly produced by strokes.3 4