The brain is by far and away the least understood of all organs by the medical commumity. There are several reasons for this. Most prominent among them is that the brain is by far the most complex of bodily organs and the study of the mind is a very sensitive subject in a society in which the Judeo-Christian ethic attaches so much importance to the soul.
       A Stroke has been called the heart attack of the mind and is the third leading cause of death in the United States behind heart disease and cancer. At its simplest a stroke is a condition which prevents blood from reaching the brain which kills nerve cells resulting in crippling conditions such as paralysis and slurred speech but, surprisingly, no pain.
      There are two main types of strokes: the ischemic stroke which is caused by blood clots and the more serious hemorrhagic stroke in which a blood vessel bursts in the brain which often causes death or disabilities. The most important thing is to begin treatment as quickly as possible after the event. The faster the blood flow can be restored to the brain the fewer brain cells will be destroyed which will lessen the impact of the stroke and greatly reduce the chances of permanent disability. Surgery is rarely an option, treatment is usually some sort of clot busting or blood thinning set of drugs. As with all other medical problems the best treatment of strokes is preventive medicine.

Links:

American Health Assistance Foundation

The Stroke Center at HeartCenter Online

Stroke links from the UPMC Stroke Institute web site