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Globally cerebrovascular disease (stroke) is the second most important cause of death
(WHO, 2008). The word "stroke" itself depicts the manner in which this disorder often
occurs to a person. As aptly noted by Stein (2004), a person who is dynamic and
independent person is "struck down" (p.1). Stroke is an abrupt, life-changing incident
that often gives no caution of its approach. Almost every survivor of stroke has been
caught unaware and it has changed the life of the survivor forever. Duncan,
Blankenship, & Bitensky (2009) have noted that stroke can lead to a range of
neurological impairments and medical problems. They have added that constraints in
activities of daily living (ADLs) and reduced quality of life (QoL) are other major
outcomes of stroke. Based on the progress in the diagnosis, treatment and therapies for
stroke in the present day from the time when its occurrence was related to the
Hippocratic concept of disparity in the "humours", it can be argued that knowledge
about stroke has come a long way (Edlow, 2008).
Stroke has been defined by WHO (2005b) as a "focal (or at times global) neurological
impairment of sudden onset, and lasting more than 24 hours (or leading to death), and
of presumed vascular origin (p.4)". As per this definition; stroke has its genesis in the
vascular system referring to the blood vessels of the body, it occurs rapidly and lasts for
a time period of more than twenty hours. Injury of the nervous tissues and even death of
the patient has been reportede3 in many cases. A stroke or brain attack occurs when
cells in the brain die due to insufficient flow of blood. While 80 per cent of the strokes
are caused by the blockage of an artery in the neck or brain; the rest are caused by a
burst blood vessel in the brain that causes bleeding into or around the brain.
