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Who is affected by stroke

About 780,000 people in the United States have a stroke each year. About 600,000 are first strokes and about 180,000 are recurrent attacks:1

  • Stroke is the third leading cause of death, behind heart disease and cancer.
  • Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States.
  • Women are less likely than men to have a stroke in all age ranges except 75 and older.
  • Blacks are about twice as likely as whites to have a stroke.

Citations

  1. American Heart Association (2008). Heart disease and stroke statistics-2008 update (At-A-Glance version). Available online: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3037327.

Author Monica Rhodes
Editor Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Richard D. Zorowitz, MD - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Last Updated January 8, 2009

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: January 08, 2009
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