What Is a Brain Attack, or Stroke?
Stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is cut off. Most strokes are caused by a clot that has built up on the wall of a brain artery or one that has traveled there from another part of the body. Some strokes are caused by a ruptured blood vessel in or near the brain, which results in bleeding within or over the surface of the brain. Stroke can result in weakness or paralysis of one side of the body, loss of speech or the ability to understand others, memory loss or a combination of these factors. Possible complications include pneumonia or potentially dangerous blood clots in the legs.
