About stroke
Stroke is caused by artery diseases in the neck or brain. Your arteries are vessels that carry blood from your heart to every part of your body. Blood brings oxygen and nutrients to each cell.
When plaque (fatty material) builds up in the carotid (neck) artery or a smaller artery in the neck or brain, a clot may form. The blood clot blocks the artery, and the brain may not get enough blood and oxygen. If blood flow is stopped to a part of the brain, the brain may have permanent damage.
When you have a stroke, time is vital. The sooner you get to the hospital, the more options your doctors will have in treating you. Your outcome will depend on how quickly you came to the hospital, the type of stroke and which area in the brain was affected.
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