What is a Stroke?

A stroke, or brain attack, happens when an artery carrying blood to part of the brain breaks or becomes clogged. When a stroke occurs, the part of the brain that was fed by the artery can die. Sometimes brain cells that are near the injured cells also begin to swell and stop working. Other common terms for a stroke include cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA).