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Causes of Stroke
There are three causes of a stroke:
- A blocked artery (ischemic stroke)
- A leaking or bursting of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke, aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation)
- A temporary disturbance of blood flow to the brain (transient ischemic attack)
Ischemic Stroke
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- An ischemic stroke happens when blood flow through the artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the brain becomes blocked.
- The underlying condition for this type of obstruction is the development of fatty deposits lining the vessel walls. This condition is called atherosclerosis
- Source: American Heart Association (2020)
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Hemorrhagic Stroke
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- A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a weakened vessel that ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding brain. The blood accumulates and compresses the surrounding brain tissue.
- The two types of hemorrhagic strokes are intracerebral (within the brain) hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage.
- Intracerebral hemorrhage is the most common type of hemorrhagic stroke. It occurs when an artery in the brain bursts, flooding the surrounding tissue with blood.
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a less common type of hemorrhagic stroke. It refers to bleeding in the area between the brain and the thin tissues that cover it.
- A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a weakened blood vessel ruptures. Two types of weakened blood vessels usually cause hemorrhagic stroke: aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).
- Source: American Heart Association (2020)
Aneurysm
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- Aneurysms usually develop at branching points of arteries and are caused by constant pressure from blood flow. They often enlarge slowly and become weaker as they grow, just as a balloon becomes weaker as it stretches. One the balloon pops, it causes a hemorrhage.
- Source: American Heart Association (2020)
Arteriovenous Malformation
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- A tangle of blood vessels in the brain bypasses normal brain tissue and directly diverts blood from the arteries to the veins
- People are born with brain AVM's, but they're not hereditary.
- More than 50% of patients with an AVM have an intracranial hemorrhage.
- Among AVM patients, 20 to 25% have seizures.
- Patients may have headaches due to increased blood flow around an AVM.
- 15% may have difficulty with movement, speech and vision.
- Source: American Heart Association (2020)
Transient Ischemic Attack
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- TIAs are sometimes called "mini-strokes," because their symptoms last only for a few minutes up to 24 hours before disappearing . But "warning stroke" is a better label, because a TIA often foreshadows a full-blown stroke and needs to be taken seriously.
- TIAs are caused by a clot or blockage in the brain. The blockage is short term. The clot usually dissolves on its own or gets dislodged, and symptoms usually last for a short time.
- Source: American Heart Association (2020)
Page last updated 10/2020