A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen to the brain is blocked by a clot or ruptures. Within minutes, the nerve cells in that area of the brain are damaged, and the part of the body controlled by those cells cannot function properly. 

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and one of the leading causes of serious long-term disability in senior adults. Someone in America suffers a stroke every 40 seconds.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is one of the leading causes of stroke. In fact, almost 35 percent of all AFib patients will have a stroke at some time. But AFib is only one of the many risk factors that can cause a stroke. Other risk factors include: high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, previous stroke or transient ischemic attack, age of 65 or older and a family history of stroke. 

Lifestyle choices can also increase the chance of stroke.  Consuming more than more than 2 alcoholic drinks a day, smoking, lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet can all contribute to an increased chance of stroke.

The current edition of My Hometown Health from BCI featuring Howie Mandell explains how the America’s Got Talent judge was diagnosed with Afib and the steps he took to overcome it.

Brentwood Communications helps hospitals stay in touch with their community through an informative and cost-effective publication. We make creating and publishing a quality, local community magazine easy and convenient. Click here to read the Howie Mandell story and to discover more about how Brentwood Communications specializes in growing non-urban hospitals.