Strokes can be ischemic or hemorrhagic, with 80% being ischemic. Ischemic strokes can be caused by thrombosis or embolism, while hemorrhagic strokes are caused by a ruptured vessel or severe head damage. Hemorrhagic strokes can be more deadly due to their rapid onset and severe damage.
Strokes can be of two types: ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke. The vast majority of strokes, estimated at 80%, are of the ischemic type. This type of stroke involves a constriction of blood supply to the brain, causing a disruption in oxygen supply to brain cells. Hemorrhagic stroke is characterized by the rupture of a blood vessel or severe damage to the head, which also causes the blood supply to be cut off, as the blood flow irritates and damages the tissues. Hemorrhagic strokes are potentially much more deadly due to their rapid onset and severe damage that can occur within a short period of time from a ruptured aneurysm or venous malformation.
Ischemic stroke can be caused by a number of factors. The most common is thrombosis, in which a blood clot restricts or cuts off blood flow to part of the brain. The onset of an ischemic stroke caused by thrombosis can be very slow, as the clot builds up over time and gradually reduces blood flow. An attentive doctor can detect signs of an impending thrombotic stroke and take preventive measures. A number of diseases and inflammations can cause clots to form in large and small blood vessels, and many patients take anticoagulants as a precaution to prevent blood clots from forming.
This type of stroke can also be caused by embolism, which occurs when a blood clot breaks off or another piece of debris enters the bloodstream, thereby blocking blood flow. Usually, ischemic stroke caused by embolism has a very rapid onset, and when pursuing medical treatment, it is urgent to understand where the embolism originated from to prevent another stroke from occurring. An embolism is usually caused by blood clots, but other pieces of matter can also be the culprits, including marrow from broken bones, fat, plaque from diseased arteries, bacteria, or cancerous cells. Cardiac accidents can also cause ischemic stroke by reducing blood flow to all parts of the body.
Hemorrhagic stroke is also called a brain hemorrhage and occurs when a vessel in the brain ruptures or starts bleeding. Hemorrhagic stroke can cause serious damage, not only because it restricts blood flow like an ischemic stroke, but also because blood from the burst or damaged vessel can injure surrounding tissue. Intercranial pressure frequently builds up in hemorrhagic strokes and must be reduced to prevent serious injury. Trauma, bleeding disorders, some illegal drugs, and high blood pressure can cause fatal pools of blood in the brain and lead to hemorrhagic strokes. Some strokes, called subarachnoid strokes, cause bleeding into the cerebrospinal fluid around the brain and a rapid buildup of pressure that can lead to death or coma.
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