Just about everyone has heard of the dangers of dying from auto accidents or homicide or diseases of the respiratory system or liver. Stroke, as a killer, beats them all and, after cancer and heart disease, is the third leading cause of death in Maine. But many people do not know the signs of stroke and suffer debilitating injury or death when early treatment could have improved their chances of recovery.

Maine hospitals and the American Stroke Association (ASA) are trying to educate the public about this problem while raising awareness about legislation in Congress that would authorize $40 million for stroke education and another $425 million over five years for states to develop stroke care systems. Strokes, which affect about 750,000 Americans a year, occur when blood flow to the brain is blocked and result in paralysis, diminished language and vision and other problems. Risk factors for stroke, according to ASA, are high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and certain blood disorders. A sure sign of trouble is something called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), which are mini-strokes that can occur a few weeks or months before a major stroke.

Fortunately, strokes can be prevented by doing many of the things you are supposed to do anyway. ASA lists several. Don’t smoke; smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood and damages the walls of blood vessels. Exercise; at least 30 minutes of brisk walking a day on most days can cut the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. Drink alcohol only in moderation (no more than one alcoholic drink a day for women, two for men) to keep blood pressure down. Don’t use illegal drugs, especially intravenous drugs, although if you are injecting heroin into your system chances are pretty good you aren’t worried about increasing your risk of stroke.

Most important, if you think you are having a stroke, get help. Medical advances in the last few years have reduced the effect of strokes – if treatment began soon after a stroke began. Time matters in stroke, so calling 911 if you have the following warning signs is the right thing to do: sudden numbness or weakness of the face arm or leg, especially on one side; sudden difficulty speaking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing; sudden trouble walking or balancing; sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

Nearly 1,000 Maine people a year die of stroke and it is the leading cause of severe, long-term disability in the state. The legislation in Congress could help people know more and states act more effectively against stroke. But there are also simple steps anyone can take to reduce the risk of stroke and reduce the severity of stroke’s effect. Mostly, that requires knowing the risks.