• Stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S. behind heart disease and cancer.

• It is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability.

• Each year, an estimated 4500 Santa Clara residents are hospitalized for stroke and the cost for medical care and rehabilitation and lost productivity locally is about $300 million annually.

A stroke happens when a part of the brain dies from lack of blood, usually because one of the arteries that supply oxygen-carrying blood to the brain has been damaged. There are two ways this can happen:

Clogged vessel or ischemic stroke: Caused by blockage of a blood vessel in the brain, usually by a blood clot or by fatty deposits on the vessel wall. 85% of strokes are ischemic.

Burst vessel or hemorrhagic stroke: Caused by a ruptured blood vessel, preventing normal flow and allowing blood to leak into brain tissue, destroying it. This occurs in 15% of strokes.

Stroke is a common and often misunderstood condition and its early symptoms are often ignored. Some brain cells deprived of oxygen die within minutes. Others may take a few hours to die depending on the nature of the blockage or hemorrhage. The loss of physical and mental functions is often permanent and can include motor-function disability. The most effective treatment for stroke can be administered if it is within three hours of the onset of stroke. Although strokes can occur at any age, most stroke patients (two-thirds) are over the age of 65.

• 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

FAST is an acronym for recognizing and responding to the symptoms of stroke. It stands for face, arms, speech and time, and it is being used as part of a campaign by the National Stroke Association to raise awareness about the impact of stroke on women.

If you think a person is having a stroke, call 911, especially if the person has trouble with these basic commands:
Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can the patient repeat the sentence correctly?
Time: Get the affected person to a Certified Stroke Center right away to receive the most effective treatment.

Goals for 2008:
To continue to support hospital stroke center certification and redirection efforts of paramedics and emergency care, as well continue public education of the warning signs of stroke and the need to seek proper medical services immediately.