Get Stroke Notes Newsletter - Fall 2012 The Children's Hospital Of ... - Chop

Ischemic stroke About 87% of strokes are ischemic. The blockage in the brain is usually caused by a piece of plaque or a blood clot. If the blockage occurs locally in the brain, the condition is called thrombosis. If the blood clot travels from somewhere else in the body, it is called an embolism.

There are two broad categories of stroke: those caused by a blockage of blood flow and those caused by bleeding into the brain. A blockage of a blood vessel in the brain or neck, called an ischemic stroke, is the most frequent cause of stroke and is responsible for about 80 percent of strokes.

There are 2 main causes of strokes: ischaemic – where the blood supply is stopped due to a blood clot (this accounts for 85% of all cases)

About 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes, in which blood flow to the brain is blocked.

There is no safe number of strokes a person can have, and no set limit on how many someone can have before a stroke is fatal. The more strokes an individual has, the higher the likelihood of lasting damage or death. One in four people who have had a stroke will have another.

Factors that you can control account for 82% to 90% of all strokes: High blood pressure. Obesity. Physical inactivity. Poor diet. Smoking.

Ischaemic strokes are the most common type of stroke. They happen when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. These blood clots typically form in areas where the arteries have been narrowed or blocked over time by fatty deposits (plaques). This process is known as atherosclerosis.

High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke and is the main cause for increased risk of stroke among people with diabetes. Talk to your doctor about ways to keep diabetes under control.