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Medicine vocabulary · Diseases by System

Stroke

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/stroʊk/nounCore term

In medicine, stroke means: Sudden damage to part of the brain caused by a blocked blood vessel or by bleeding, which can cause weakness, speech problems or loss of vision.

In Turkish: inme, serebrovasküler olay, felç

How it is used

A medical emergency handled by stroke teams. Doctors distinguish ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, and the FAST test (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) teaches the public the warning signs. The formal term is CVA.

Example sentences

  1. She had a stroke two years ago and still has some weakness in her left hand.

  2. Call the stroke team: he's got right-sided weakness that started 40 minutes ago.

Common collocations

  • have a stroke
  • acute stroke
  • ischemic stroke
  • stroke unit
  • stroke team
  • hypertensionBlood pressure that stays higher than normal over time, which increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney disease.
  • CT scanA scan that uses X-rays taken from many angles and a computer to build detailed cross-section pictures of the body. CT stands for computed tomography.
  • acuteStarting suddenly and lasting a short time, often needing quick attention; the opposite of chronic.
  • MRIShort for magnetic resonance imaging: a scan that uses a strong magnet and radio waves to make detailed pictures, especially of the brain, spine, joints and soft tissues.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Diseases by System

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.