What it means
سکته مغزی (sekte-ye maghzi) means a brain stroke, or cerebrovascular accident. The compound joins two words of different origins: سکته (sekte) comes from Arabic, where it means a sudden halt or stoppage, and مغزی (maghzi) is a Persian relational adjective derived from مغز (maghz), the native Persian word for brain. Together they describe the sudden interruption of blood supply to the brain. In clinical settings the term سکتهٔ مغزی is interchangeable with سکتهٔ عروق مغزی (sekte-ye oruq-e maghzi), which specifies the blood vessels. It contrasts directly with سکته قلبی (sekte-ye qalbi), a heart attack.
How to use it
- پدرم دیشب سکته مغزی کرد و بستری شد. (pedaram dishab sekte-ye maghzi kard va bastari shod.) “My father had a stroke last night and was hospitalized.”
- بعد از سکته مغزی، کار گفتاردرمانی شروع کرد. (bad az sekte-ye maghzi, kâr-e goftârdarmâni shoru kard.) “After the stroke, he started speech therapy.”
- علائم سکته مغزی رو بلافاصله جدی بگیر. (alâem-e sekte-ye maghzi ro belâfâsele jeddi begir.) “Take the symptoms of a stroke seriously right away.”
- فشار خون بالا خطر سکته مغزی رو بیشتر میکنه. (feshâr-e khun-e bâlâ khatar-e sekte-ye maghzi ro bishtar mikone.) “High blood pressure increases the risk of stroke.”
Cultural note
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability in Iran, with awareness campaigns targeting high blood pressure and diabetes as the main risk factors. The public health message سریع عمل کن (sari’ amal kon), meaning act fast, mirrors the internationally known FAST acronym and has been promoted through Iranian television and health ministry channels. Rehabilitation services after stroke, including physiotherapy and speech therapy, are available in major cities but remain limited in rural areas.