What Happens During a Stroke?

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Stroke is a medical emergency, a “brain attack” equivalent in severity to a heart attack.

A stroke can occur from various conditions, including:

• blood clots which create blockages
• gradual build-up of plaque and fatty deposits which clog arteries
• arteries bursting when weak spots on a blood vessel wall break

Stroke cuts off vital blood and oxygen to the brain cells that control everything we do - from speaking, to walking and breathing. 

The phrase “Time is Brain” is often used to describe the death of brain cells and the related loss of function at risk for every second without treatment.

The best available treatments cannot be used if patients arrive in the emergency department more than three hours from the start of stroke symptoms.Know the symptoms and what to do.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the number one cause of adult disability in America, but 85% of strokes are preventable. Find out what you can do to reduce your risk of stroke.