The term pathophysiology refers to the study of detrimental changes to normal physiological processes, deriving from infection, disease, or injury. A cerebrovascular accident (CVA), or stroke, represents a sudden neurovascular event in which blood supply to a portion of the brain is disrupted; when this causes the death of brain cells, it is called a cerebral infarction. CVAs are among the top three causes of death and disability in the United States. They are classified as either ischemic or hemorrhagic. Ischemic CVAs result from a narrowing or blockage in an artery, while hemorrhagic CVAs are caused by rupture of the arterial wall; in either case, blood supply to brain tissue is lost. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ischemia accounts for 87% ...