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Overview
Your brain needs a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood to nourish its 100 billion nerve cells. When this supply is reduced or shut off completely, starving brain cells die within minutes. That is why a stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack." The medical term for a stroke is cerebrovascular accident (CVA). Like a heart attack, a CVA is the result of blockage of blood that keeps cells alive.
Loss of function may be temporary, such as in a "transient ischemic attack" (TIA) or a stroke can leave permanent disabilities. A stroke can also be life threatening, depending on the area of the brain involved.
Stroke is the third most common cause of death after cancer and heart disease.
More on Stroke
In the Encyclopedia:
Call 911 if You Experience:
 | Weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg on one side of the body |
| Dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye |
| Difficulty speaking or trouble understanding speech |
| Sudden severe headache with no known cause |
| Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness or sudden falls |
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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