Stroke: Major causes
― ∙ An ischemic stroke is caused by blockage of blood flow to the brain by a blood clot. The accumulation of plaque on artery walls (atherosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries" in common parlance) is an underlying cause of many ischemic strokes. ∙ Atherosclerosis is a process in which fatty deposits (atherosclerotic plaque) invade the inside of blood vessels, particularly the carotid arteries on either side of the neck arteries supplying the heart and legs. Atheromatous plaque may [...].
