- Stroke is the third largest killer in the United States, after heart disease and cancer.
- Each year, about 780,000 people in the United States have a stroke. Of those, about 25% die within a year, and about 15% to 30% have some degree of permanent disability.
- Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability in the United States.
- Stroke incidence increases with age—more than 70% of strokes happen in people older than 65.
- Strokes happen more often in African Americans than in whites or Hispanics.
- Although stroke is slightly more common in men than in women, women are more likely to die of a stroke.
- The National Stroke Association estimates the cost of stroke-related health care to be more than $65 billion each year.
Source: American Heart Association and National Stroke Association
See also on this site: Stroke
Updated August 2008
