The incidents of stroke have been increasing nowadays. The way we live is partly to blame. But what really happens when one gets stroked? When the supply of blood is not enough, the cells in the brain die. Because of the disrupted blood supply, oxygen and glucose carried by the blood is not delivered to the brain. If such occurrence happens, stroke takes place. There are two main causes of stroke. The first and the most common type is known as ischemic stroke. This happens because of the blockage in the artery; hence, resulting to too little blood flowing to the brain. The second type of stroke is hemorrhagic stroke, wherein blood vessels in the brain burst. The bleeding causes too much blood in the skull. Under these two major types of strokes, there are subcategories explaining its causes. Below are some of them.
- The most common cause of stroke is the blockage of an artery in the brain due to blood clot. Usually, blood clot occurs in the brain’s small blood vessels which were already narrowed before. Based on studies, this narrowing resulted from high cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
- Another type of ischemic stroke is embolic stroke. This happens when blood clots or calcium and cholesterol deposits build up within the heart or in the blood vessels away from the brain. These will eventually break free through the bloodstream until it reaches and clogs the narrow arteries in the brain. This will then result to low flow of blood and oxygen in the brain which leads to stroke. Blood clots is caused by weak blood flow due to irregular heartbeat in its two upper chambers
- When there is a bleeding on the surface of the brain or near it and it accumulates into the spaces between the skull and the lining of the brain, hemorrhagic stroke, specifically subarachnoid hemorrhage, can happen. This is usually due to aneurysm, which is can be inherited or develop in time. Common symptoms of this type of hemorrhage are severe headache and stiff neck.
- Cerebral hemorrhage is another cause of stroke. This condition occurs when there is a rupture in the blood vessels located in the brain causing it to bleed and flow in the nearby brain tissues. When there is bleeding, there is not enough blood, oxygen and nutrients that reaches the brain. Hence, stroke happens.