What Is Stroke?

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel carrying blood and oxygen to the brain gets blocked or ruptures, resulting in injury to the brain and stroke symptoms due to absence of blood flow and oxygen. Strokes can happen at any age, but nearly one-third of all strokes happen to people under age 65. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and a major cause of disability in adults. See Stroke Warning Signs for more information about stroke symptoms.

We see, hear and read a lot about strokes. But what do we really know about them? It’s important to separate facts from myths since stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, as reported by the American Stroke Association. Read more!