Stroke (cerebrovascular accident)
Short definition
A stroke (cerebrovascular accident) is sudden damage to the brain caused by interruption of blood flow (ischaemic stroke) or by rupture of a blood vessel (haemorrhagic stroke).
In plain language
It is a medical emergency: signs such as a drooping mouth, weakness in one arm or difficulty speaking require calling the emergency number (112 in Portugal) immediately. It is one of the leading causes of death and disability in Portugal. Survivors may be left with motor, language, cognitive or emotional changes, and rehabilitation is central to recovery.