The causes of death have shifted dramatically over the course of the last century. In the early 1900s, infectious diseases were the leading causes of death. Nowadays, chronic diseases have supplanted infectious diseases as the leading causes of death. This paper will focus on stroke as a leading cause of death, its potential victims, the cost of treatment, and the cost and description of prevention measures. As the third leading cause of death in the U.S., implementation of federal and state preventive programs need to be integrated into health facilities to address this disease early with education and to treat as early as possible once an individual is diagnosed.

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Heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes are among the most costly, prevalent and preventable of diseases of chronic diseases. Examples of infectious diseases that would have been more of a concern in the year 1900 are malaria and tuberculosis. According to the Metro Health System of Cleveland (2010), an infectious disease is an illness caused by the introduction of a biological agent such as a virus, bacterium or parasite, into the body. By contrast, a chronic disease is long-lasting and cannot be cured (MetroHealth). As high as seventy percent of such diseases are the causes of death in this country (CDC, 2005).

A stroke is a “condition in which the brain cells suddenly die because of a lack of oxygen…that can be caused by an obstruction in the blood flow, or the rupture of an artery that feeds the brain” (Medical News Today, 2013). After a stroke, a patient may lose the ability to speak and may experience severe memory problems along with paralysis on one side of the body.

Most people have had an individual in their family succumb to death by stroke. It is quite commonplace as a chronic and prevalent disease, affecting a sizable portion of the population. According to the National Stroke Association (2013), 55,000 people annually have strokes. Strokes are most likely to strike divorced African-American, Hispanic, or Asian/Pacific Islander males over the age of 55 with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a history of smoking cigarettes, obesity, and heavy alcohol use (Medical News Today, 2013). Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the Unites States. According to the Internet Stroke Center (2013), “on average, someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds.”

Treatment of stroke victims accounts for about one of every six dollars spent on United States healthcare (CDC, 2010). The total costs of cardiovascular treatment in 2010 amounted to about $444 billion in the U.S. alone (CDC, 2010). By contrast, more money is spent on stroke than diabetes treatment. One out of every ten health care dollars annually is spent on diabetes and its complications (Congressional Diabetes Caucus, n.d.). Incidentally, there is a link between stroke and diabetes. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (2012), people with diabetes have a higher-than-average chance of having a heart or attack or stoke; one is almost twice as likely to have a stroke if an individual is also afflicted with diabetes.

However, this is not to say that stroke is a condition that cannot be prevented. Stroke prevention techniques include maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Specifically, an individual needs to know and control their blood pressure, and to check to see if one has artrial fibrillation; in addition, one needs to quit smoking, lower cholesterol, follow a healthy diet, drink alcohol in moderation, exercise regularly, manage stress, exercise regularly, check for and treat diabetes, and stay away from narcotic drugs (Medical News Today, 2013). Other preventive techniques proven effective include drinking three cups of tea daily, taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, walking 210 minutes weekly, and using anti-platelet and anticoagulant drugs (Medical News Today, 2013).

State and federal governmental organizations can take the initiative by introducing prevention plans to educate the public and treat at-risk demographic groups before a problem arises as to stroke. The CDC is certainly playing its part, with an entire department (the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention) included in its budget. This division funds heart disease and stoke prevention programs in the U.S. This has been its agenda since 1998 (CDC, 2010).

Such prevention programs include using its allocated $56.2 million annually to fund health departments in 41 states and the District of Columbia to conduct heart disease and stroke prevention programs, funding six states for their Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry Program, and paying for five sites to support sodium reduction efforts (CDC, 2010). The Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry appears to have been successful in its efforts. Such care is quite intensive, with the CDC funding states to work on “improving the care given to patients experiencing a stroke from the onset of stroke symptoms” and will be compelling EMS programs for better physical transition techniques (CDC, 2010).

Stroke, although highly lethal and widespread, may be expensive to prevent and treat, but the CDC is spending its budget wisely through education and prevention. Its mission includes funding state programs. The CDC’s efforts are examples of the initiatives and prevention programs that are assisting in addressing this cause of death on both federal and state levels.

    References
  • Centers for Disease Control (2005). CDC–Chronic Disease. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/index.htm. [Last Accessed 20 May 2013].
  • Center for Disease Control (2010). Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/aag/dhdsp.htm. [Last Accessed 20 May 2013].
  • Center for Managing Chronic Disease (2013). What is Chronic Disease. [ONLINE] Available at: http://cmcd.sph.umich.edu/what-is-chronic-disease.html. [Last Accessed 20 May 2013].
  • Congressional Diabetes Caucus (n.d.). Facts and Figures. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.house.gov/degette/diabetes/facts.shtml. [Last Accessed 22 May 2013].
  • Internet Stroke Center (2013). Stroke Statistics. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.strokecenter.org/patients/about-stroke/stroke-statistics/. [Last Accessed 22 May 2013].
  • Medical News Today (2013). What is a Stroke? What Causes a Stroke?. [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7624.php. [Last Accessed 20 May 2013].
  • MetroHealth (2010). What is an Infectious Disease?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metrohealth.org/body.cfm?id=1570. [Last Accessed 20 May 2013].
  • National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (2012). Diabetes, Heart Disease and Stroke. [ONLINE] Available at: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/stroke/. [Last Accessed 22 May 2013].
  • National Stroke Association (2013). Uncontrollable Risk Factors. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=uncont. [Last Accessed 20 May 2013].