Department of Neurology

WHAT IS A STROKE?

Definition:

A stroke is an interruption of blood supply to the brain caused by either a blood clot that blocks an artery or by a hemorrhage from a ruptured blood vessel.

Types:

Ischemic stroke is when blood is not supplied to an area of the brain, usually from a blood clot that oftentimes comes from the heart.

Hemorrhagic is the rupture of a blood vessel within the brain that interrupts the blood supply to the brain.

Where/What:

Where a stroke occurs, what type of stroke and how extensive the stroke is will determine how severe the neurological damage will be to the patient.