Stroke occurs when a blood vessel feeding the brain bursts or is clogged, causing a sudden disruption in the blood flow to the brain.
When the carotid arteries become blocked with plaque (atherosclerotic plaque), blood flow to the brain is compromised.
Carotid artery disease is the leading cause of strokes. More than 50% of stroke victims present no warning signs. After the age of 55, the risk of stroke doubles every 10 years. Most significantly, 97% of the adult population cannot name a single warning sign of a stroke.
- Stroke is the number one reason for nursing home admissions in the USA.
In the United Kingdom
According to The Stroke Association:-
- Stroke is the third most common cause of death after heart disease and cancer
- A total of 110,000 people a year will have a stroke and 50,000 will die
- Stroke is the single most common cause of severe disability
- More than 250,000 people live with disabilities caused by stroke
Stroke is the third leading killer, resulting in the following results annually:-
- Every 3.5 minutes in the UK, someone has a stroke
- Huge economic impact with costs of £7.2 billion per year
