Every 45 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. A stroke can happen when:
A blood vessel carrying blood to the brain is blocked by a blood clot. This is called an ischemic stroke.
A blood vessel breaks open, causing blood to leak into the brain. This is a hemorrhagic stroke.
If blood flow is stopped for longer than a few seconds, the brain cannot get blood and oxygen. Brain cells can die, causing permanent damage.
ISCHEMIC STROKE
This is the most common type of stroke. Usually this type of stroke results from clogged arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis. (See stroke secondary to atherosclerosis.) Fatty deposits collect on the wall of the arteries, forming a sticky substance called plaque. Over time, the plaque builds up. Often, the plaque causes the blood to flow abnormally, which can cause the blood to clot.
Hemorrhagic stroke(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Hemorrhagic stroke involves bleeding within the brain, which damages nearby brain tissue. See also: Hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage; Intracerebral hemorrhage. Reviewer: Daniel Kantor, MD, Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/10/2006
Stroke secondary to carotid dissection (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A stroke secondary to carotid dissection is a type of stroke due to a tear in the lining of a major neck artery, called the carotid artery. Reviewer: Updated by: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy. Previously reviewed by Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. (August 2006)Date: 02/20/2007
Stroke secondary to carotid stenosis (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Stroke secondary to carotid stenosis is a group of brain disorders involving loss of brain function. Reviewer: Updated by: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy. Previously reviewed by Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.(April 2006)Date: 02/20/2007
Stroke secondary to atherosclerosis (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Stroke secondary to atherosclerosis refers to loss of neurologic functions (brain attack), which occurs because¿of atherosclerosis. Reviewer: Updated by: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy. Previously reviewed by Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. (April 2006)Date: 02/20/2007
Thrombolytic therapy (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Thrombolytic therapy is the use of drugs to break up or dissolve blood clots, which are the main cause of both heart attacks and stroke. The most commonly used drug for thrombolytic therapy is tissue plasminogen activator (tPA. Reviewer: Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 07/17/2006
Stroke related to cocaine use (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Stroke is a loss of brain function due to an interruption of the brain's blood supply. It can be caused by using the illegal drug cocaine. Reviewer: Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 04/28/2006
Transient ischemic attack (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A transient ischemic attack is a "mini-stroke" caused by temporary disturbance of blood supply to an area of the brain, which results in a sudden, brief decrease in brain function. Reviewer: Updated by: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy. Previously reviewed by Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.(2006)Date: 02/20/2007
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