About 137,000 Americans die of stroke every years, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants everyone to know how to reduce the risk.

A stroke happens when a clot blocks blood to the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.
Just ahead of World Stroke Day tomorrow, the CDC says there are lifestyle changes and medicines that can make a difference.

“Someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds and while that is a statistic to some, it’s a life abruptly changed for the person who suffered the stroke and the person’s family,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC director, in a statement.

The CDC advises: aspirin for people at risk, blood pressure control, cholesterol management and smoking cessation.

Strokes can cause death or significant disability including paralysis, speech difficulties and emotional problems. New treatments can less the damage is given immediately. Call 911 if you experience sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; or sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

The CDC reports that there are more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes a year. Treating them and other vascular diseases is responsible for about $1 of every $6 healthcare dollars.
A new Million Hearts campaign joins public, private and nonprofit groups in an effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and stroke in the next 5 years.