- The third leading cause of death in the US
- Caused by the abrupt interruption of blood flow to the brain which causes loss of neurological function
- The interruption of blood flow can be caused by a blockage involving a blood vessel which leads to an ischemic stroke or by bleeding in the brain which leads to a hemorrhagic stroke.
- Timing is of the essence. An interruption of blood flow could be restored if the patient is transferred to the hospital quickly enough
- Ischemic stroke can be treated by the administration of thrombolytic medications (clot dissolvers) or by mechanical thrombectomy, a minimally invasive procedure that allows a wire and catheter to be deployed at the area of blockage and physically attempt to reopen the blocked blood vessel.
Stroke
