Every minutes counts with paralyzing strokes.

• Position: The Brain - Brief article

Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. and the leading cause of serious, long-term disability, reports Women's HealthSource. Man have a higher risk compared to women, but more women die from It each year because they typically live longer than men and are older when strokes occur.

Treatments are available that can reduce the damage greatly--but minutes count. With a stroke, brain cells start to die or become damaged immediately. Patients or family members must recognize the signs and get emergency medical attention to receive the most benefit.

Ischemic strokes, the most common type, are caused when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain. Doctors can break up the clot with the drug known as tissue plasmino-gen activator (TPA). However, TPA typically needs to be administered within 4.5 hours after symptoms first begin. While other treatment options may be available, the earlier treatment is started, the more likely it is to be successful.

The traditional warning signs of a stroke come on...