Stroke is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. It is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States.

F.A.S.T. Warning Signs

Use the letters in F.A.S.T to spot a Stroke

• F = Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
• A = Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S = Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred?
• T = Time to call 911

Other Stroke Symptoms

Watch for Sudden:

• NUMBNESS or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
• CONFUSION, trouble speaking or understanding speech
• TROUBLE SEEING in one or both eyes
• TROUBLE WALKING, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• SEVERE HEADACHE with no known cause

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it and brain cells die.

80 percent of strokes are preventable.

What are the types of stroke?

Stroke can be caused either by a clot obstructing the flow of blood to the brain (called an ischemic stroke) or by a blood vessel rupturing and preventing blood flow to the brain (called a hemorrhagic stroke). A TIA (transient ischemic attack), or “mini stroke”, is caused by a temporary clot.

Read more about the different types of stroke

What are the effects of stroke?

The brain is an extremely complex organ that controls various body functions. If a stroke occurs and blood flow can’t reach the region that controls a particular body function, that part of the body won’t work as it should.

Learn more about how stroke affects the brain