Each year stroke

kills more than twice as many American women as breast cancer, yet only

one in three women can name a symptom or risk factor.

In an effort

to address this misunderstood illness, the National Stroke Association

(NSA) and your local Public Health Services have declared May to be National

Stroke Awareness Month.

This year's

theme focuses on women, who account for more than half of all stroke deaths

in the United States. Together with NSA's "Women in Your Life"

campaign, we can create additional stroke awareness, reduce stroke's impact

and help women lead healthier lives.

A stroke is

an interruption or blockage of blood flow to the brain that can cause

a variety of physical and emotional disabilities including speech or memory

loss and total or partial paralysis. It strikes more than 750,000 Americans

each year and costs the nation more than $30 billion annually in lost

work time and health care costs.

The good news

is that most strokes can be prevented and treated if symptoms are recognized

and risk factors managed.

One-third of

strokes occur in women under the age of 65, and 100,000 women from the

ages of 30-65 will suffer a stroke in 2001. African-American women have

the highest rate of stroke prevalence among the three major ethnic groups

including Caucasians and Hispanics.

"We know

that women are more likely to have serious disabilities following a stroke

than men. By educating women that stroke is a medical emergency, treatment

can be more effective and lives can be saved," said Patti Shwayder,

NSA executive director and CEP.

Education is

the key to saving lives and preventing years of financial, emotional and

physical disability.

Learn the three

R's of stroke:

Reduce your

risk.

Recognize

the symptoms.

Respond immediately.

Reduce risk.

Know your blood pressure. If elevated, work with your doctor to get it

down.

Stop smoking.

Smoking doubles the risk for stroke. If you drink alcohol, do so only

in moderation. Keep your cholesterol level down.

Diabetics should

control their blood sugar by following doctor orders. Exercise daily doing

fun activities.

Enjoy a low-salt,

low-fat diet.

If your heart

beats irregularly, work with you doctor to get it regulated.

Recognize

stroke symptoms. Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm/leg

especially on one side. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness,

loss of balance or coordination. Sudden severe headache with no known

cause.

Respond

to the brain is cut off and brain cells begin to die. The damage may continue

to spread for hours after the first signs of a stroke.

The quicker

a person receives treatment, the greater his/her chances for recovery.

Medications are available that can dissolve blood clots and allow blood

and oxygen to flow normally to the brain. However, these "clot-busting"

drugs work best when they can be started as soon after the start of symptoms

as possible.

The National

Stroke Association is a leading independent national non-profit organization

devoting 100 percent of its efforts and resources to stroke prevention,

treatment, and rehabilitation and support for stroke survivors and their

families.

For more information

on stroke, contact the National Stroke Association at 1-800-787-6537 or

visit www.stroke.org . You may also obtain information at the Fayette

County Health Dept., 140 Stonewall Ave. West (the County Complex), Suite

107.

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