What is the term for the disruption in the normal blood supply to the brain?

The term for the disruption in the normal blood supply to the brain is commonly referred to as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA). This term encompasses various conditions including strokes, which can result from either a blockage in the blood vessels supplying the brain, known as an ischemic stroke, or from bleeding in or around the brain, known as a hemorrhagic stroke. When blood supply is disrupted, brain tissue can become damaged due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients, leading to potential neurological deficits depending on the area of the brain affected.

Hypoxia refers specifically to a deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues, which can occur as a result of a cerebrovascular accident but does not describe the disruption of blood supply itself. Infarct is a term used to describe the area of tissue that has died due to a lack of blood supply, often resulting from a cerebrovascular accident. Myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, refers to the disruption of blood supply to the heart muscle specifically, which is a different condition altogether.