GENESEO, N.Y., May 11, 2023 – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. May is National Stroke Awareness Month and Livingston County is reminding residents to talk to their healthcare providers to learn more about what to do if someone is showing signs of having a stroke.
Each year, close to 800,000 people across the United States have a stroke with nearly 25 percent of those instances occurring in people who have had a previous stroke. Every three minutes, someone dies as a result of a stroke while one in six deaths from cardiovascular disease can be attributed to a stroke.
The economic impact of strokes on the healthcare system is significant. Stroke-related costs in the United States totaled nearly $56 billion between 2018 and 2019 alone.
Early action is critical as studies have shown that patients who arrive at an emergency room within three hours of the on-set of stroke-related symptoms are less likely to have a disability three months after a stroke compared with those who received delayed care.
The signs and symptoms often associated with a stroke include sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, leg or one side of the body, sudden confusion, trouble speaking or difficulty understanding speech, sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or an unusual lack of coordination and a sudden headache with no apparent cause.
If you or someone else has any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 right away.
Learn more about the steps to take if someone is having a stroke and more by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
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About Livingston County:
Founded in 1821, Livingston County, N.Y., is comprised of more than 61,000 residents in 17 towns located across 631 square miles of the Finger Lakes region.