What is a stroke?
The brain can only function if blood is flowing through it. Two large blood vessels, which run along either side of the neck, bring blood from the heart to the brain. The blood vessels branch off and get smaller and smaller, until tiny blood vessels supply oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the brain.
A stroke
A stroke happens in the same way as a heart attack, but takes place in the brain. If the blood flow to the brain is interrupted, the brain loses its supply of oxygen and nutrients. This causes the damage to the brain tissue that we call a stroke. A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted .
A major stroke may also be called a cerebral haemorrhage or cerebral thrombosis. Other terms you may come across include: Cerebrovascular disease, or Transient ischemic attack.
What causes heart attacks and strokes?
Heart attacks and strokes are mainly caused by a blockage that prevents blood from flowing to the heart
or the brain. The most common reason for this is a build-up of fatty deposits on the inner walls of the blood vessels that supply the heart or the brain. This makes the blood vessels narrower and less flexible. It is sometimes called hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis. The blood vessels are then more likely to get blocked by blood clots. When that happens, the blood vessels cannot supply blood to the heart and brain, which become damaged.
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