Five Most Important Types of Strokes:

There are several different types of strokes that can occur.

  1. Ischemic Stroke - This is the most common type of stroke, occurring in about 90% of stroke patients. Ischemic stroke happens when the flow of blood to part of the brain is blocked, preventing oxygen from being delivered to the brain. This is also known as Cerebral Infarction.

  2. Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) - This type of stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked temporarily. TIA causes symptoms that last for a short time, and then go away. They are also known as "mini strokes." TIAs are a warning that a more serious stroke may occur. One-third of all stroke patients had TIA symptoms before their stroke. To prevent a future stroke, you must seek treatment for a TIA.

  3. Intracranial Hemorrhage - An intracranial hemorrhage is an injury to the brain in the form of bleeding (hemorrhage) within the skull. This is often the result of a head injury, a burst artery, or an aneurysm.

  4. Atrial Fibrillation - Atrial fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm which involves the two upper chambers of the heart. It is the leading cause of stroke because the erratic motion of the atria leads to blood stagnation, increasing the risk of blood clots that may travel from the heart to the brain.

  5. Subarachnoid Hemorrhage - A large artery in the brain may become weak. It may stretch out, like a balloon filling with water. The "balloon" is called an aneurysm. The aneurysm may break into the space between the brain tissue and the membrane that covers the break, leaking blood into the brain.