What is a stroke?

A stroke (cerebrovascular accident) happens when there is a loss of blood flow to a section of the brain, which, in 87% of cases occurs due to blood clot (ischemic stroke) and in 13% of cases occurs due to bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). When blood flow is lost, not enough oxygen and nutrients get to brain cells, which start to die in minutes. Strokes that are not caught and treated quickly can result in death, brain damage, and/or disability. Sometimes, stroke symptoms will resolve within minutes to hours of onset; this is known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA) and is a strong risk factor for stroke. ^[1]