The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than 130,000 people throughout Oklahoma and the rest nation die from strokes each year. This is the equivalent to one out of every 20 U.S. deaths in the nation being attributed to a stroke.
While not every stroke kills, they can result in a number of permanent disabilities. Common risks factors for strokes include high cholesterol, advanced age, smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes. Heart complications, such as heart valve disease and atrial fibrillation, can also contribute to a stroke. Two-thirds of people in the United States have at least one of the behaviors or conditions that can lead to a stroke.
Each year, more than 795,000 Americans will have a stroke, which costs the nation nearly $33 billion annually. The costs include health care services expenses, lost days of work and stroke medications.
Almost 610,000 of the annual number of people who have strokes will have them for the first time. The rest of stroke victims will have already suffered a stroke. A large number of the strokes that occur afflict people over the age of 65.
People who are 45 or younger have a reduced risk of having a stroke. However, occurrences of strokes have increased among individuals in their 30s and 40s, partially due to the sharp spike in diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea, smoking, high blood pressure, abnormal blood clotting as well as the abuse of alcohol and illicit drugs.
A personal injury attorney who practices medical malpractice law may advise clients who have been harmed as a result of a medical error, such as a misdiagnosis. A victim may be able to obtain compensation to cover future medical costs.