It affects more than 500,000 Americans each year, although Americans managed to cut the stroke death rate nearly in half during the 1970's and 1980's the 1990's is the Decade of the Brain. The nonfatal strokes, which have been decreasing along with the stroke death rate, now appear to be increasing for unknown causes. Of the more than three million Americans who have survived a stroke, more than two million end up with crippling disabilities, including paralysis, loss of speech, and lapses of memory.

Stroke (cerebrovascular accident, CVA) is a broad term, since it refers to almost any occurrence that prevents adequate amounts of blood from reaching a portion of the brain, which in turn causes brain cells to die. This may happen either over a period of time or quite suddenly, depending on the cause. The number of cells involved effects the persons' outcome.

A stroke or "brain attack" is usually the result of progressive disease that develops over many years. A stroke occurs when brain cells die because of inadequate blood

There are many effects that a stroke can have on an individual. The immediate physical effects of a stroke are that half the person's body becomes paralysed. He has no control over it and often cannot even that is it there. It can affect the arm and leg, but also the face, mouth, tongue, and eye. The other half of his body appears to be relatively normal.

* TEMPORARY UNSTEADINESS OR DIZZINESS

3) A stroke is also caused by hemorrhage from a broken blood vessel. The cells beyond the break are deprived of oxygen, and there is pressure on cells in the area surrounding the break. Some of these cells may be able to function again after the blood is absorbed and the pressure relieved. When blood escapes from a vessel, it quickly forms a clot using thrombin and myosin, which closes the break and stops the hemorrhage. Later the clot is absorbed, thus removing the pressure.

After years of discouraging results, the positive results will lead to renewed efforts to make even more progress in treating and preventing the devastating consequences of a stroke.

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Approximate Word count = 2259
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)