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Stroke

Stroke, often called Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA), is a sudden central nervous system impairment in which the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain is halted through a blood clot (ischemia) or bleeding (hemorrhage). It is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability. Four million stroke survivors are living in the United States, and more than 730,000 Americans experience a stroke each year.

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This fact sheet was last updated on 03-02-2007.