A stroke is a life-threatening condition that happens when part of your brain doesn’t have enough blood flow. This most commonly happens because of a blocked artery or bleeding in your brain. Without a steady supply of blood, the brain cells in that area start to die from a lack of oxygen.
A stroke is a life-threatening emergency condition where every second counts. If you or someone with you has symptoms of a stroke, IMMEDIATELY call 911 (or your local emergency services number). The quicker stroke is treated, the more likely you’ll recover without disability.
Anybody can have a stroke, from children to adults, but there are some people who have a greater risk than others. Strokes are more common later in life (about two-thirds of strokes happen in people over age 65).
There are also certain medical conditions that increase the risk of stroke, including high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), Type 2 diabetes, and people who have a history of stroke, heart attack or irregular heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation.