Strokes are caused when a blood clot (thrombus) or an embolus (a clot that s travelled from elsewhere in the body, which can be of any material, not neccessarily blood), block a vesel in the brain, cutting of the blood supply to a part of the brain (embolism). If the blockage isn t relieved quickly, there is a higher risk of infarction (a localized, small area of tissue death) which is irreversible and may effect motor or memory functions among others.. Treatments for stoke include I.V heparin or warfarin to desolve the clot, and embolectomy, which is the removal of an embolus by surgery, keyhole or otherwise. Extent of recovery from stroke is directly linked to speed of diagnosis and then treatment.