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Main Causes of a Stroke

A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is cut off. There are a variety of reasons that the blood is cut off, including blood clots or ruptured arteries in the brain, which result in a stroke. When the brain tissue dies, a stroke occurs. According to Medical News Today, there are two types of stroke: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs due to blood clots and makes up 75 percent of strokes while hemorrhagic stroke occurs when blood vessels rupture and blood flow to the brain stops while blood in the skull puts added pressure on the brain.

  1. Thrombotic Stroke

    • Thrombotic stroke is one of two types of blood clot strokes. This occurs when plaque buildup in the arteries on the brain limit the space blood can move through. A small blood clot then gets caught due to the plaque buildup and results in a stroke. The plaque buildup is often caused by unhealthy diet and high cholesterol, similar to the buildup of plaque in the heart, though sometimes it is also a result of genetic predisposition. The buildup is usually in the large arteries to the brain.

    Embolic Stroke

    • Embolic stroke is similar to thrombotic stroke because it is the result of a blood clot. Unlike thrombotic stroke, embolic stroke occurs when blood clots from elsewhere in the body passes through the blood stream and are too large to fit into the smaller arteries of the brain. Rather than a buildup of plaque, it is the result of blood clots that are too large for small veins and arteries.

    Intracerebral Stroke

    • Intracerebral stroke occurs due to a hemorrhage in the brain. A blood vessel in the brain breaks and the blood damages the brain cells and tissue. This type of stroke is commonly caused by high blood pressure, according to the Mayo Clinic.

    Subarachnoid Stroke

    • This type of stroke is the result of a hemorrhage, but it occurs when bleeding starts in the artery and spreads between the brain and the skull. Unlike intracerebral strokes, the cause of this stroke is an aneurism in the brain, which either develops with age or is in the brain from birth. The lack of oxygen to the brain and the pressure on the brain result in a stroke.

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