Main content Stroke and TIA: Who Is Affected

    Stroke and TIA: Who Is Affected



    Topic Overview

    About 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke each year. About 610,000 are first strokes, and about 185,000 are recurrent attacks:Reference 1

    • Stroke is a leading cause of death, after heart disease and cancer.
    • Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States.
    • Women are less likely than men to have a stroke in almost all age ranges. But because women live longer than men, their lifetime risk of stroke is higher than for men. And more women than men die from strokes every year.
    • Blacks are almost twice as likely as whites to have a stroke.

    The exact number of people who have had a Reference transient ischemic attack (TIA) Opens New Window is not known for certain, because people do not always recognize a TIA. And about half of the people who have had a TIA don't ever see a doctor for it.

    It is estimated that about 200,000 to 500,000 TIAs happen in the United States each year. Men and African Americans have TIAs more often than women and people of other races.Reference 1




    By: Reference Healthwise Staff Last Revised: Reference September 19, 2011
    Medical Review: Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
    Reference Richard D. Zorowitz, MD - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation


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