National Stroke Awareness Month: History, Facts & Insights

This is an in-depth look at all the must-know facts about National Stroke Awareness Month (2024) 🗓️ that no one tells you about. National Stroke Awareness Month is celebrated on May 1st.

Among the information you’ll find below: the history of National Stroke Awareness Month, activities to do on and how to observe this holiday, as well as cool facts you need know about National Stroke Awareness Month.

📅 What day is National Stroke Awareness Month 2024?

In 2024, National Stroke Awareness Month is on Monday, May 1st. It is the 1st Monday in May; in 2024, it is Wednesday. There are until the next observance. You also can learn all the exciting details and facts about May 1, 2023, that you might not be aware of.

Each year in May, the United States dedicates a whole month to National Stroke Awareness. The main objective of this month is to educate the public about the factors that increase the risk of having a stroke and to decrease the number of stroke incidents in the country. A stroke is a medical condition where the brain does not receive enough blood supply, leading to the death of brain cells. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic stroke, which occurs when blood flow is blocked, and hemorrhagic stroke, which happens when there is bleeding in the brain. Both types of stroke can cause certain parts of the brain to stop functioning properly. Shockingly, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds in the United States, with someone losing their life to a stroke every four minutes.

📜 National Stroke Awareness Month History

In 1658, Johann Jacob Wepfer made a significant discovery about the cause of hemorrhagic stroke. He proposed that those who died of apoplexy had bleeding in their brains. Wepfer also found that a blockage in certain veins could lead to apoplexy, and in doing so, he identified the main arteries supplying the brain – the vertebral and carotid arteries. This led to the understanding of a type of stroke called cerebral infarction, which is caused by a lack of blood supply.

In 1856, Rudolf Virchow furthered our knowledge by explaining the role of thromboembolism in stroke. Thromboembolism occurs when a blood clot forms in a blood vessel, breaks free, and travels to another blood vessel where it causes a blockage. This can result in organ damage or even death if multiple organs are affected.

Since 1990, the term “brain attack” has been used to highlight the acute nature of stroke, encompassing both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. In the United States, approximately 795,000 people experience a stroke each year, with around 610,000 of them experiencing their first stroke.

✅ National Stroke Awareness Month Facts

🔖 Stop smoking
Your risk of having a stroke is higher if you smoke, as nicotine raises blood pressure and carbon monoxide decreases the amount of oxygen your blood can transport.

🔖 Reduce your alcohol intake
Excessive consumption of alcohol can raise your blood pressure and triglyceride levels, increasing the risk of experiencing a stroke.

🔖 Lower your blood pressure
Lowering your blood pressure can potentially decrease your chances of having a stroke, as it is a major contributing factor to this condition.

👍 Why Is National Stroke Awareness Month Important

People who are more informed about what a stroke is and how it might influence their lives are more likely to take better care of themselves. This would reduce the number of stroke-related hospital visits.

With so many people visiting the hospital as a result of a stroke, adequate resources to treat them are required. If individuals are more aware, such resources may be conserved for other uses.

Apart from encouraging people to live a lifestyle that reduces their risk of having a stroke, it also promotes healthy living in other ways, such as eating healthy foods and exercising.

🙂 How To Observe National Stroke Awareness Month

⚡ Spread awareness

⚡ Go for a checkup
Make sure to schedule a regular checkup for your brain, as it plays a crucial role in governing various functions of the body. Taking care of your brain’s health is important, and regular checkups can help ensure that it remains in good condition.

⚡ Donate to a charity
Raising awareness of stroke, its risks, and ways to avoid it You would be doing a big favor to society if you did this.

📅 When is National Stroke Awareness Month?

View all 🔗 May holidays, including 🔗 Health and other 🔗 Awareness holidays.

We will continue to update this page with new information and fun facts about National Stroke Awareness Month. So be sure to check back soon.