A stroke is caused by an interruption of blood supply to the brain, usually because a blood vessel is blocked by a clot.

Less commonly,the blood vessel ruptures. The blockage or rupture stops blood reaching parts of the brain, depriving it of the oxygen it needs. Nerve cells in the affected area of the brain can't work and die within minutes. When nerve cells stop, the part of the body they control can't work. The devastating effects of a severe stroke are often permanent because dead brain cells aren't replaced.

The effects of a stroke depend on which part of the brain is injured and how severely it is affected. A very severe stroke can quickly kill. Stroke is the third most common cause of death in developed countries, after coronary heart disease and cancer.

It is the second most common cause of death worldwide and in developing countries. Worldwide, 3 million women and 2.5 million men die from stroke each year.

Suffering from a cold? The medicine just may raise your stroke risk.

Women account for about 6 in 10 stroke deaths. Even where advanced technology and facilities are available, 60 percent of those who suffer a stroke die or become dependent.

The most important modifiable cause of stroke is high blood pressure. For every 10 people who die of stroke, four could have been saved if their blood pressure had been regulated.

For those under 65, two fifths of stroke deaths are linked to smoking. Other modifiable risk factors include unhealthy diet, high salt intake, underlying heart disease, irregular heart beat (atrial fibrillation), diabetes, high blood lipids and obesity.

Risk of a stroke increases when a person is over 55, is male, has had a previous stroke or has a family history of the disease. Stroke is more common in men than women, but more women than men die from stroke.

Ischemic stroke, caused by blockage of a blood vessel, is most common and accounts for 80 to 90 percent of all strokes. It occurs when a blood clot forms and blocks flow in an artery bringing blood to part of the brain. Blood clots usually form in arteries damaged by fatty build ups, called atherosclerosis.

Women Fare Badly in Stroke Rehab. Read on for all the details.