Pope Francis died, at age 88, after suffering a stroke last Monday, April 21. The Pope had the stroke in the early morning hours, which led to a coma and later, heart failure, according to the Vatican.

According to the American Stroke Association, in the United States, every 40 seconds somoene has a stroke, which occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is disrupted, causing brain cells to die.

Editor’s Note: 5 Warning Signs You’re About to Have a Stroke

There are a number of different types of stroke, according to Dr. Chauncey Crandall, world-renowned cardiologist and director of preventive medicine at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic in Florida.

• Ischemic stroke. This type of stroke, which occurs when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed, accounts for 87% of all strokes, according to the American Stroke Association.
• Hemorrhagic stroke. This happens when a weakened blood vessel ruptures, causing bleeding inside the brain.
• TIA. Also called a mini-stroke, a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a temporary disruption of blood flow to the brain, lasting a few minutes to a few hours.

Special: Dr. Crandall Saved His Own Heart With This 

Who is at Risk for Stroke?

The main risk factors for stroke are the same as those for heart disease, Crandall tells Newsmax’s “Newsline.” “Diabetes, hypertension, smoking, obesity, inactivity,” says Crandall. The risk for stroke markedly increases as we age above 80, adds Crandall.

Signs and Symptoms

“Some of the common signs are paralysis or difficulty speaking. Maybe a loss of feeling or numbness of a limb,” explains Crandall.

Editor’s Note: 4 Signs your Heart Is Quietly Failing

The American Heart Association uses the F.A.S.T. acronym to help spot the signs of stroke.

F = Face Drooping. Does one side of the face droop, or is it numb?

A = Arm Weakness. Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward, or is it weak or numb?

S = Speech Difficulty. Is speech slurred?

T = Time to call 911. Call immediately and note the time that symptoms first appeared.

Special: Save Yourself From This Silent Killer

“The main thing is, if you think you're having a stroke, you need to call 911, because they're going to take you right away to a stroke site where they know how to treat strokes,” stresses Crandall, editor of the popular newsletter Dr. Crandall's Heart Health Report.

“I think what happened with the Pope’s stroke is that he had a massive stroke or even a cerebral bleed, and that shut down most of his body parts. He couldn't breathe normally on his own and just went into heart failure because of a massive stroke. There was no way really to reverse what happened to the Pope,” explains Crandall.

Prevention

Crandall says there are many steps we can take to prevent a stroke. These include adopting a healthier lifestyle, such as eating a healthy diet, losing weight if you are overweight, exercising, and stopping smoking.