Stroke: Introduction and Types

A stroke is a sudden-onset neurological dysfunction caused by an interruption in cerebral blood flow.

A Stroke is classified into two main types: ischemic and hemorrhagic.

An ischemic stroke, the predominant type, happens when a blood vessel, such as the middle cerebral artery, becomes blocked.

This cuts off oxygen and nutrients, causing brain cells to die within minutes.

Ischemic strokes are further divided into two types.

Thrombotic ischemic stroke occurs when an intravascular clot obstructs a cerebral artery, such as the middle cerebral artery, following atherosclerotic plaque rupture and activation of the clotting cascade.

Second, an embolic stroke occurs when a clot or debris, often from the heart, travels through the bloodstream and blocks a cerebral artery.

On the other hand, hemorrhagic strokes happen when a weakened blood vessel ruptures and bleeds into brain tissue, often due to chronic hypertension or use of anticoagulant medications.

Causes of hemorrhagic strokes include intracerebral hemorrhage, which involves bleeding directly into the brain parenchyma, and subarachnoid hemorrhage, where bleeding occurs in the subarachnoid space, typically due to a ruptured aneurysm.