From Apoplexy to Brain Attack, a Historical Perspective on Stroke to Date

It was during the fourth century BC, when Hippocrates first named the phenomenon of sudden onset of paralysis, loss of consciousness or sudden death: ‘Apoplexy’ as in 'struck down violently'. He was the first to approach scientifically what was then thought to be a ‘stroke of God’s hand’. Hence, many of the basic terms for stroke and carotid disease derive from ancient Greek medical literature [1]. Looking at the evolution of the terminology, one could find the following: