Stroke, also known as
cerebrovascular accident (
CVA),
cerebrovascular insult (
CVI), or
brain attack, is when poor
blood flow to the
brain results in
cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and
hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. They result in part of the brain not functioning properly. Signs and symptoms of a stroke may include an
inability to move or feel on one side of the body,
problems understanding or
speaking,
feeling like the world is spinning, or
loss of vision to one side among others. Signs and symptoms often appear soon after the stroke has occurred. If symptoms last less than one or two hours it is known as a
transient ischemic attack (TIA). Hemorrhagic strokes may also be associated with a severe
headache. The symptoms of a stroke can be permanent. Long term complications may include
pneumonia or
loss of bladder control.