Stroke Mortality: Understanding Causes and Risks

According to StrokeCenter.org, stroke is the third most common cause of death in the United States. Complications of a stroke, such as heart attacks, blood clots and aneurysms, can increase the risk of dying from a stroke.

Stroke

• A stroke is caused by an interrupted flow of blood to the brain or by a burst blood vessel in the brain. Blood supplies brain cells with oxygen, without which the brain cells die.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of a stroke occur suddenly and may include numbness, confusion, impaired speech, difficulty seeing and walking, dizziness, and headache.

Rates

• According to eMedicineHealth.com, 30 percent of people who have a stroke will die from it. According to MayoClinic.com, stroke is more likely to cause death in women than in men.

Blood Clot

• According to Medicinenet.com, pulmonary embolism, which is caused by a blood clot blocking the lungs, may cause death following a stroke.

Heart Attack

• Stroke is associated with fatal cardiac disorders, including heart attacks and heart failure. A heart attack may occur simultaneously with a stroke or closely after.

Brain Aneurysm

• In some cases a stroke may be caused by a brain aneurysm. According to the American Heart Association, a stroke associated with a brain aneurysm will likely cause death.