Stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States.1 People
of all ages and backgrounds can have a stroke. America's Stroke
Burden - Stroke kills almost 130,000 Americans each year—that’s
1 in every 19 deaths.1 - On average, one American dies from
stroke every 4 minutes.2 - Every year, more than 795,000 people
in the United States have a stroke. About 610,000 of these are
first or new strokes. One in four are recurrent strokes.2 -
Ischemic strokes happen when blood clots block the blood vessels
to the brain. About 87% of all strokes are ischemic.2 - Stroke
costs the United States an estimated $38.6 billion each year.3
This total includes the cost of health care services,
medications, and missed days of work. - Stroke is a leading
cause of serious long-term disability.2 Stroke Risk Varies by
Race and Ethnicity Stroke is a leading cause of death for all
Americans, but the risk of having a stroke varies with race and
ethnicity. African Americans’ risk of having a first stroke is
nearly twice that of whites.