A stroke is a permanent neurological disability caused by the loss of blood supply to a significant part of the brain. Strokes are often life-threatening
The disability is classically paralysis of one side of the body(including face and limbs), loss of sensation on one side of the body, loss of speech or loss of vision in one eye.
This can be caused by a blockage of a major artery supplying the brain (ischaemic stroke : blocked artery) or the rupture of an artery in the brain(haemorrhagic stroke : burst artery).
Part 1 of our Carotid Video series: Mr Yow explains what a stroke is.
According the Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM : Ministry of Health) statistics, stroke is now the second largest cause of death in Malaysia behind heart disease.
Most importantly, strokes are a personal, familial and social disaster as the patient will need compassionate, round-the-clock, labour-intensive care for the rest of their lives. More than half of stroke survivors have complete or partial dependence on their care-givers. Immediate family members often experience significant stress and mental health issues in having to deal with the crippling care burden, both emotional and financial.
It is estimated that the cost of stroke survivor care in the community amounts to RM 213 million(US$36 million) per year. The estimated global cost is US$890 billion per year (World Stroke Organisation 2025).