Stroke is Major Cause of Death in U.S.     Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., killing nearly 160,000 Americans each year. Every year, 730,000 Americans will have a new or recurrent stroke. Every minute in the United States, someone experiences a stroke. Of the 570,000 Americans who survive a stroke each year, approximately 10 to 18 percent will have another stroke within one year.