Ischemic stroke what is

Related Issues. Atherosclerosis and Stroke American Stroke Association. Stroke - slideshow Medical Encyclopedia Also in Spanish. Videos and Tutorials. Statistics and Research. Clinical Trials. Article: Prognostic value of red blood cell distribution width in predicting 3-month A hemorrhagic stroke happens when an artery in the brain leaks blood or ruptures breaks open. The leaked blood puts too much pressure on brain cells, which damages them.

High blood pressure and aneurysms—balloon-like bulges in an artery that can stretch and burst—are examples of conditions that can cause a hemorrhagic stroke.

For Blanche Teal-Cruise, a smoker for 40 years who also had high blood pressure, the transient ischemic attack sometimes called a mini-stroke she had on the way to work was a wake-up call. Recognizing and treating TIAs can lower the risk of a major stroke. This blockage can appear at the neck or in the skull. Clots usually start in the heart and travel through the circulatory system.

A clot can break up on its own or become lodged in an artery. Ischemic stroke caused by a fatty buildup happens when plaque breaks off from an artery and travels to the brain. Plaque can also build up in the arteries that supply blood to the brain and narrow those arteries enough to cause ischemic stroke.

Global ischemia, which is a more severe type of ischemic stroke, happens when the flow of oxygen to the brain is greatly reduced or completely stopped. This is usually caused by a heart attack , but it can also be caused by other conditions or events, such as carbon monoxide poisoning.

Circulatory conditions are the main risk factor for ischemic stroke. These conditions include:. Men are more likely than women to have ischemic stroke, while blacks have a higher risk than other races or ethnic groups. Risk also increases with age. A doctor can usually use a physical exam and family history to diagnose ischemic stroke. Based on your symptoms, they can also get an idea of where the blockage is located.

If you have symptoms such as confusion and slurred speech, your doctor might perform a blood sugar test. Learn more about the effects of low blood sugar on the body. A cranial CT scan can also help distinguish ischemic stroke from other issues that cause brain tissue death, such as a hemorrhage or a brain tumor. An MRI is the best way determine when the ischemic stroke started.

Tests used to determine a root cause might include:. The first goal of treatment is to restore breathing, heart rate , and blood pressure to normal. If necessary, your doctor will then try to reduce pressure in the brain with medication. The main treatment for ischemic stroke is intravenous tissue plasminogen activator tPA , which breaks up clots.

What is an ischaemic stroke? What causes an ischaemic stroke? How is an ischaemic stroke diagnosed? How is an ischaemic stroke treated?

How to reduce the risk of another clot The first 24 hours after a stroke What effects can a stroke have? Will I be able to make a full recovery? Will I have another stroke? Support after leaving hospital. An ischaemic stroke happens when a blockage cuts off the blood supply to the brain. You may also hear it referred to as a clot. In ischaemic stroke, the blockage can be caused by a blood clot forming in an artery leading to the brain, or within one of the small vessels deep inside the brain.

A stroke is a brain attack. It happens when the blood supply to part of your brain is cut off, killing brain cells. Damage to brain cells can affect how the body works. It can also change how someone thinks and feels. Read more about the different types of stroke. And find out how to spot the signs of a stroke or transient ischaemic attack TIA or mini-stroke. There are a number of reasons why blockages can form and cause an ischaemic stroke:.

Atherosclerosis occurs when fatty deposits build up on the inside walls of your arteries. These deposits are called plaques or atheromas. They cause your arteries to become harder and narrower, making them more likely to become blocked.

The narrowing of your arteries is called stenosis. Our arteries naturally become thicker and less flexible as we get older, but atherosclerosis can speed this process up. Lifestyle factors like smoking , lack of exercise and eating unhealthy food , as well as certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure , high cholesterol or diabetes , can lead to atherosclerosis. Atheromas can build up in any artery, especially the ones in your neck leading to your brain.

As well as narrowing the artery, making it harder for blood to pass through it, the fatty deposits can break down or become inflamed.

When this happens a blood clot forms around the atheroma, which can block the artery. It may break off and move through the bloodstream, causing a blockage to an artery in the brain.

Small vessel disease damages the tiny blood vessels deep inside the brain. This reduces blood flow, which means brain cells are not getting the oxygen and nutrients they need. A brain scan might show small scars in the white matter, which can be linked with thinking and mobility problems.

Small vessel disease can cause a stroke or several very small strokes. Over time, small vessel disease can lead to a type of dementia called vascular dementia. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for small vessel disease. Heart conditions : atrial fibrillation. Some conditions can cause blood clots to form in your heart, which can then move through your bloodstream up into your brain.

This is called an embolism. The most common condition to cause this is atrial fibrillation or AF a type of irregular heartbeat. Some people with atrial fibrillation can feel their heart beating irregularly, but many cannot.

AF can come and go at intervals. Other heart conditions, such as a recent heart attack or a mechanical heart valve, can cause embolisms too. Having a PFO can be a risk for stroke, if a blood clot forms in the heart and passes from one side of the heart to the other and up to the brain.

In children, surgery can be used to close the PFO. If an adult has a stroke and a PFO is thought to be the most likely cause, treatment options include blood-thinning medication to reduce the risk of clots, or surgery to close the PFO. Your doctor will talk to you about the best treatment for you. Sometimes tears in the lining of an artery can develop and allow blood to get between the layers in your artery walls.

This is called arterial dissection. It can happen for no clear reason or it can be the result of an injury. As blood builds up a clot can form. If this clot restricts the flow of blood to your brain or moves up into your brain, it can cause a stroke. Ambulance paramedics are trained in stroke, and will assess the person and take them to the right type of hospital for the treatment they need. This could be a hospital with a specialist stroke unit or a hyper-acute stroke unit.