What is a Stroke?

A stroke, sometimes called a "brain attack," is when blood is prevented from flowing through the brain. This can happen in two ways:

1. A blood clot. A clot can block blood from flowing through blood vessels in the brain. This is the most common type of stroke and is called an ischemic stroke.
2. A hemorrhage. When a blood vessel breaks, blood drains into other areas of the brain and does not get to the places it needs to go. This type of stroke is called a hemorrhagic stroke. About 15% of strokes are hemorrhagic strokes.

A stroke is a very serious problem because the brain is the command center for the body. In both types of strokes, the brain cells don’t receive the blood they need to survive. Every minute of a stroke, two million brain cells die. Because of this, stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the U.S.

Most people who have a stroke will survive but it’s possible they will become disabled by their stroke. When brain cells die, the abilities controlled in that part of the brain can be lost. For example, the areas in the brain that control speech, memory, and movement can be affected. This is why stroke is the number-one cause of adult disability in the U.S.