Stroke Types: Ischemic vs. Hemorrhagic

Ischemic stroke

An ischemic stroke occurs when an artery in the brain becomes blocked or clogged, cutting off the blood flow to a portion of the brain.

Types of ischemic stroke:

Thrombotic stroke

Is the most common type of stroke and occurs when an artery in the brain narrows, allowing a blood clot to clog the artery and cut off blood flow. Warning signs typically appear suddenly and progress over the course of a few hours. This type of stroke most often occurs at night or early in the morning.

Embolic stroke 

Is caused by a blood clot that breaks free from an artery or from the heart and flows through the blood stream until it reaches an artery too small for it to pass through. Signs and symptoms depend on the area of the brain that is blocked.

Hemorrhagic stroke

Hemorrhagic strokes can occur when there is bleeding in the brain. They are less common than ischemic strokes and symptoms are usually very sudden and intense.

Types of hemorrhagic stroke:

Intracerebral hemorrhage

Occurs when a blood vessel within the brain bursts and blood leaks into the brain. The most common cause is high blood pressure.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage

Occurs when a blood vessel just outside the brain bursts and blood leaks into the area around the brain (called the subarachnoid space). Subarachnoid hemorrhage is caused by a blood vessel abnormality, such as an aneurysm.