"Stroke" has gone by many names – apoplexy, apoplectic seizure, cerebrovascular accident.

The Greek name means – a “striking down with violence.” And it is the second leading cause of death world-wide.

People usually thing that strokes happen to older people; but when suffered by Vice President Joe Biden’s 41-year-old son, Beau Biden (attorney-general for the State of Delaware), it gained recent notoriety.

The causes, treatments, and preventions of stroke are similar to that of heart attacks. Let's imagine how Beau might have been cared for, to outline the important points concerning this “brain attack”.