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A stroke is a “brain attack” – it usually occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked, just as a heart attack is caused by lack of blood flow to the heart. Without oxygen-rich blood, the brain cells begin to shut down and die. This type of stroke is known as “ischemic” and is the most common variety. A stroke can also be caused by a ruptured blood vessel in the brain – the pressure of the leaked blood damages brain cells. Called “hemorrhagic,” this type of stroke often results from a medical condition like high blood pressure or aneurysm. (1)

Stroke symptoms occur in the parts of the body controlled by the affected brain cells: depending on the affected area of the brain, a stroke victim may experience sudden weakness; numbness or paralysis of the legs, arms or face; or difficulty seeing, hearing or speaking. Without immediate medical attention, a stroke can often be fatal.

Unfortunately, there are many factors that can increase your chance of a stroke. Top risk factors include age and gender (risk increases with age, and men are more likely to have a stroke than women are); a personal or family history of strokes; smoking; obesity; drug abuse; and many medical conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol, heart disease, brain aneurysm or sickle cell anemia. (2)

If you are an at-risk individual, you should consider a critical illness insurance policy to help you deal with the financial aftereffects that come with a stroke. CancerPlans.com offers critical illness insurance from top carriers, designed to pay you a lump sum benefit upon first diagnosis of a stroke. Compare carriers, decide on a policy and request a critical illness insurance quote on CancerPlans.com.

(1) What Is A Stroke? February 2011. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. July 17 2012

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/stroke/

(2) Who Is at Risk for a Stroke? February 2011. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. July 17 2012

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/stroke/atrisk.html