Ten things you should know about Stroke

1. Every five minutes someone in the UK has a stroke.
    
   
2. A stroke is a brain attack - a clot or bleed in the brain causes brain cells to die.
    
   
3. A stroke can happen to anyone of any age, even children and babies.
    
   
4. The signs of a stoke happening include:
    Facial weakness
    Arm weakness
    Speech problems
    Test all three signs
   These signs may only last a few hours (called a TIA or mini-stroke), but must not be ignored.
    
   
5. A stroke is an emergency. If you see the signs of a stroke, act FAST and call 999.
    
   
6. Stroke is the third biggest killer and a leading cause of severe disability in the UK.
    
   
7. Almost one in four men and one in five women aged 45 can expect to have a stroke if they live to 85.
    
   
8. For every £50 spent on cancer research and £20 on heart disease research, only £1 is spent on stroke researck.
    
   
9. Eating healthily, taking regular exercise, not smoking and ensuring blood pressure is normal can all help to prevent stroke.
    
   
10. The Stroke Association is the only national charity solely concerned with helping everyone affected by stroke. They are working to create a world where there are fewer strokes and all those touched by stroke get the help they need.

Stroke Helpline 0845 3033 100