Disease Database Drug Database Alt. A stroke occurs when a portion of the brain is damaged due to an interruption of its blood supply. The resulting symptoms are dependent upon the part of the brain affected and the size of the damaged area.
Stroke is the most common cause of brain damage in developed countries.
There are many potential causes for a disturbance in blood flow to the brain. Most commonly, a clot or embolus dislodges from elsewhere in the body, and ends up lodged in an artery to the brain. This happens mainly in people with atherosclerosis, a condition which causes fatty build-up and narrowing of the blood vessels, and in people with valvular heart disease. The major risk factors are high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and high cholesterol. Less important, but still significant risk factors include a high-salt diet, alcohol abuse, heart disease, obesity, and family history of stroke.