Stroke: Symptoms and Risk Factors Stroke, or cerebrovascular
accident (CVA), is the third leading cause of death in the
United States, resulting in more than 150,000 deaths per year.
About 80 percent of strokes are caused by a decrease in blood
flow to the brain (called ischemic strokes). This is usually the
result of a blood clot that has formed within an artery to the
brain or has formed elsewhere (e.g., the heart) and traveled to
a brain artery, where it has become lodged. Loss of blood flow
can also occur if the heart malfunctions and no longer pumps
blood effectively. Strokes can also be caused by a break in a
blood vessel, causing blood to flow into the brain, compressing
and damaging brain tissue. These are referred to as hemorrhagic
strokes. The most common causes of stroke are hypertension and
atherosclerosis. In both cases, these result in damage to the
arteries that feed the brain with blood and oxygen. Symptoms of
a stroke can be mild or severe and may include: - Numbness or
weakness of the face,