Worldwide an estimated 26 million people have experienced a stroke, with over 10 million people having an initial stroke each year. Stroke is the second leading global cause of death behind heart disease and accounted for just under 12 percent of total deaths worldwide in 2013 (American Heart Association, 2017). Stroke is also the second leading cause of disability. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted, leading to a necrosis (i.e. cell death) of the affected part.
