What is a stroke? Well, it is a condition where the blood flow to any area of the brain is interrupted by a blood clot, or a ruptured artery, or even a blood vessel. Thus, there is a lack of oxygen and glucose flowing to the brain; this causes brain cells to die – resulting in brain damage. A stroke often results in speech impairment, movement impairment, or even deficiency in memory.

There are two main types of stroke – ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. The ischemic type is caused by a blockage in blood flow to the brain by the formation of a blood clot or thrombus. An embolus is a blood clot that is formed somewhere in the body, and then becomes free-floating, if it is carried to the brain, then it causes an ischemic stroke. The hemorrhagic stroke happens when there is a rupture of a blood vessel on the surface of the brain, when it fills the space between the brain and the skull with blood. Even the burst of a defective artery and filling up of the surrounding tissues with blood results in cerebral hemorrhage.

Heart disease or weakness in the heart can make a person more susceptible to a stroke.