Stroke is a global term used to describe when part of the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Stroke is an interruption in oxygen and nutrient supply to the brain tissue resulting in rapid cell damage causing parts of the brain to die. Stroke is the leading cause of severe long-term disability. Currently, someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds, and someone will die from a stroke every 4 minutes. A person living the healthiest of lifestyles still may have a stroke. While you cannot control your age or family history certain risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes can be significantly reduced through diet, exercise, and medication management.