What is Stroke?
{{Other uses}}{{Infobox disease | Name = Stroke | synonyms = Cerebrovascular accident (CVA), cerebrovascular insult (CVI)| Image = MCA Territory Infarct.svg | Caption = [[CT scan]] slice of the brain showing a right-[[brain hemisphere|hemispheric]] [[ischemic]] stroke. | DiseasesDB = 2247 | ICD10 = {{ICD10|I|61||i|60}}-{{ICD10|I|64||i|60}}ner | ICD9 = {{ICD9|434.91}} | OMIM = 601367 | MedlinePlus = 000726 | eMedicineSubj = neuro | eMedicineTopic = 9 | eMedicine_mult = {{eMedicine2|emerg|558}} {{eMedicine2|emerg|557}} {{eMedicine2|pmr|187}} | MeshID = D020521 }} A '''stroke''' is an illness in which part of the [[brain]] loses its [[blood]] supply. This can happen if an [[artery]] that feeds blood to the brain gets clogged, or if it tears and leaks. A stroke is when there is a lack of blood flow to the brain. There are two types of strokes. One is when there is a blood clot blocking the artery. The other type of stroke is when a blood vessel bursts and there is blood moving around freely in the brain.<ref>Stroke; Overview. N.p.: GALE Cengage Learning, n.d. Health and Wellness Resource Center. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.</ref> A stroke is the rapid loss of brain function(s) due to disturbance in the [[blood supply]] to the brain. This can happen because of [[Ischaemia|ischemia]] (lack of blood flow) caused by blockage ([[thrombosis]], [[arterial embolism]]), or a [[haemorrhage]] (leakage of blood).<ref>{{cite journal |author=Sims NR, Muyderman H |title=Mitochondria, oxidative metabolism and cell death in stroke |journal=Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease |volume= 1802|issue= 1|pages= 80–91|date=September 2009 |pmid=19751827 |doi=10.1016/j.bbadis.2009.09.003}}</ref> As a result, the affected area of the brain cannot work properly. [[Symptom]]s might include: [[hemiplegia]] (an inability to move one or more [[limb]]s on one side of the body), [[aphasia]] (inability to understand or use language), o