Prior to its approval last year, there was much debate about Xarelto ( rivaroxaban ), an anti-clotting drug designed to prevent stroke among patients with atrial fibrillation, a common heart arrhythmia.

Untreated sleep apnea has been linked to a long list of health risks. Now silent strokes - where the person doesn't know they had a stroke - can be added to that list.

About 33 percent of stroke survivors leave the hospital unsure of the cause. A new finding suggests about 20 percent of strokes with an undetermined cause may have been prompted by a heart arrhythmia episode.

Following a stroke, suffering from anemia could prove to be a fatal combination. Stroke survivors who suffer from anemia are nearly three times more likely to die the first year after a stroke.

Minor infections during childhood could have more devastating consequences. Common infections could put kids at a higher risk of stroke during the initial month following an infection.

Among heart patients, about 20 percent experience another blockage. That doesn't appear to be the case when opening blocked neck arteries to prevent a stroke. Metal stents appear as effective and durable as surgery.

Outside of the classic cardiovascular symptoms, there may be a more unusual symptom that could predict a future fatal stroke. There appears to be a link to severe memory loss in the years leading up to a stroke.

Drinking diet soda lowers your daily calorie intake compared to regular soda, but drinking excessive amounts can negatively impact your health. Gulping down diet soft drinks too often could put you at an added risk for a stroke or heart attack.

Those recently suffering a lacunar stroke should talk to their health care provider about vitamin supplementation, studies suggest. 

When a patient shows up in a hospital emergency room complaining of dizziness, a doctor's first line of defense is often to order a CT scan to check for serious conditions such as a stroke or bleeding in the brain.