Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease. It affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die. A stroke is a potentially life-threatening event in which parts of the brain are deprived of oxygen. The most common type of stroke is an ischemic stroke, which involves a blockage of blood (usually in the form of a blood clot) that supplies oxygen to the brain. The other main type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke, which involves bleeding in or around the brain. Women may experience different symptoms of a stroke than men and are also more likely to die from the condition. African Americans are at high risk of mortality due to stroke and for having stokes at a younger age. Stroke treatment requires emergency medical aid. Survivors are likely to require stroke rehabilitation, which aims to help patients relearn basic skills that may have been lost due to stroke-related brain damage. When someone has shown symptoms of a stroke or a TIA (transient ischemic attack), a doctor will gather information and make a diagnosis. A doctor may use many different tests. The ones listed here are just some of the more common options.
