May is Stroke Awareness Month, held to draw attention to the fact that in the United States, stroke is the fourth leading cause of death, killing over 133,000 people each year, and a leading cause of serious, long-term adult disability.
In this video, Kevin Barrett, M.D., director of Mayo Clinic’s neurocritical care unit in Jacksonville, Fla., shares information about stroke – who’s at risk, the signs and symptoms and information about treatment.
According to the National Stroke Association, about 795,000 Americans will suffer a stroke this year, yet most people in the U.S. cannot identify stroke warning signs or risk factors. Many strokes – some studies indicate that up to 80 percent – can be prevented through risk factor management. Visit MayoClinic.com to learn about stroke signs and risk factors.
Journalists: Mayo Clinic experts are available for interview.
• Mayo Clinic neurologist Robert Brown, M.D., stroke expert.
• Mayo Clinic neurologist Bart Demarshalk, M.D. a stroke expert and expert on telestroke program. Follow him on Twitter for stroke, telestroke updates.
