The risk factors of a stroke include high blood pressure, age, heart disease, smoking, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, estrogens, arteriosclerosis, and polycythemia.

Causes may be:

Symptoms may include impaired body sensation, impaired movement, headache, dizziness, confusion, visual disturbance, slurred speech, loss of speech and difficulty swallowing.

In most cases the symptoms will develop in minutes or over a period of hours but in some cases the development will occur over a period of several days. A weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, rapid loss of consciousness or coma would be symptoms that signal a serious stroke, while less severe strokes may have symptoms that are barely noticeable.

The diagnosis and treatment of a stroke will depend on the severity. Strokes should be taken seriously since there is always a chance of complications that could be fatal. Even if the symptoms of a stroke last for less than 24 hours with a full recovery, the person experiencing the symptoms should seek medical attention. When this occurs it is called a transient ischemic attack, which is a warning signal that sufficient blood is not reaching a part of the brain.

Ambulance should be called immediately in case of stroke. CT scan is performed to determine if the symptoms are caused by a stroke or other disorders. When a stroke is diagnosed an ECG, blood test, angiography, MRI and chest x-rays may be taken to further examine any damage.

In half of the patients admitted to the hospital recovery is almost complete but any intellectual impairment may be permanent. A hospitalized patient may be treated with corticosteroid drugs, diuretic drugs or anticoagulant drugs depending on the cause and extent of damage. In most cases speech and physical therapy is recommended. If the patient is admitted in an unconscious or semi-conscious state the airway is cleared, feeding by intravenous infusion or naso-gastric tube is applied and their position is changed regularly to prevent bedsores or pneumonia.