Stroke

• Stroke Overview
• Stroke Causes
• Stroke Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Stroke Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Medications
• Next Steps
• Prevention
• Outlook
• For More Information
• Web Links
• Multimedia
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Related Stroke articles:
  Stroke symptoms - on WebMD
  Stroke - on MedicineNet

Stroke Overview

Stroke is a brain attack. It is much like a heart attack, only it occurs in the brain. Like a heart attack, stroke is a medical emergency. Do not wait or hesitate to call for emergency medical help. Fast treatment makes a big difference in outcome for someone having a stroke.

CALL 911 for STROKE

When the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off or greatly decreased, a stroke occurs. If the blood supply is cut off for several hours or more, the brain cells, without enough blood supply, die.

Depending upon the amount of blood involved and location of the stroke area in the brain, a person having a stroke can show many signs and symptoms. These can range from barely noticeable difficulties moving or speaking to paralysis or death.

Until recently, doctors were unable to do much while a person was having a stroke or immediately afterward. Now however, treatments for the acute event, while it is happening, are available, which makes recognizing strokes and getting immediate care critically important.

• About 750,000 new strokes occur in the United States each year. Stroke is the third most common cause of death (after heart disease and cancer). Strokes occur more frequently in older people but can occur in persons of all ages, including children. African Americans are at a higher risk of stroke than whites. Hispanics have an intermediate risk.
  
  
• A transient ischemic attack (known as a TIA or ministroke) is similar to a stroke except that, with a TIA, the symptoms go away completely within 24 hours. People who have a TIA are very likely to have a stroke in the near future.