Types of Stroke
In this section
Ischemic Stroke
Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. This type of stroke can result from clogged or damaged arteries, such as in atherosclerosis or arterial dissection or blood clots that travel to the brain from other areas of the body. A clot that forms in clogged arteries in the brain is called a cerebral thrombus. A clot that breaks loose and moves through the blood to the brain is called a cerebral embolism.
Risk Factors for Ischemic Stroke:
| Hypertension (high blood pressure) | Obesity/Lack of exercise |
| Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) | Substance abuse |
| Diabetes | Oral contraceptive use (especially in combination with other risk factors) |
| Sleep apnea | Abnormal or mechanical heart valve |
| Certain types of migraines | Patent foramen ovale (PFO) |
| Atrial fibrillation (A-Fib) | Inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves (endocarditis) |
| Smoking | Family history or personal history of stroke or transient ischemeic attack (TIA) |
Some of these risk factors can be modified with help from your primary care provider.
Hemorrhagic Stroke
Hemorrhagic stroke is a very serious form of stroke that refers to spontaneous rupture of an artery in the brain. The resulting increase in pressure, and irritating effect of blood on the brain tissue, can lead to neurologic deficits similar to an Ischemic Stroke.
Risk Factors for Hemorrhagic Stroke:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Substance and/or alcohol abuse
- Personal or family history of aneurysms or other blood vessel abnormalities (arteriovenous malformation (AVM), Amyloid Angiopathy, etc.).
- Use of certain blood thinners
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
TIA, formerly known as ministrokes, are the only warning sign for stroke. Symptoms of TIA match those of stroke, but a TIA will not appear on diagnostic imaging. These are brief, episodic stroke symptoms that typically last less than 24 hours with no lasting damage.
Patients with TIA have a five-fold higher risk of stroke within five years of TIA diagnosis (Vinding et al., 2023).