Stroke Types and Symptoms
Know This Life-Saving Information
There are several types of stroke but mainly there are three:
Ischemic or “blockage” strokes account for 80% of all strokes where a blood clot has blocked blood flow to the brain. It is sometimes possible to treat these strokes with clot-dissolving medicines and procedures that can attempt to lessen damage.
The other types of strokes are hemorrhages or “bleeding” strokes. These account for less than 10% of all strokes but can be devastating, although the severity varies from patient to patient.
Many patients can also have temporary strokes called a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). A TIA is a stroke that goes away in less than 24 hours. A TIA is also a clear warning sign that a permanent, perhaps larger stroke could happen in the near future. Quick evaluation and treatment for these patients can prevent them from having “the big one” by discovering and addressing the cause.
The main types of stroke and their symptoms are:
Ischemic stroke: the most common type of stroke accounting for over 80% of all strokes. These strokes are caused by a clot or other blockage inside a brain artery (thrombotic ischemic) or a clot that travels from the heart or another artery to the brain (embolic ischemic). Without blood flow and oxygen, parts of the brain can start to die. The result is paralysis or loss of control of the abilities – like walking, talking and seeing – that were once controlled by that area of the brain.
Generally, if ischemic stokes are treated within the first 3 hours of their symptoms, patients who qualify for clot-dissolving medications and other treatments can be given them in an attempt to reduce the severity of the stroke and lessen brain damage. Additional treatments may help if given between 3 to 6 hours after the onset of stroke symptoms, however, the more time that passes, the less beneficial these treatments are.
Symptoms can begin suddenly, develop quickly and cause brain tissue to become damaged within minutes to hours. Depending on what parts of the brain are involved, symptoms can include:
- Difficulty speaking or understanding speech (aphasia)
- Slurred speech (dysarthria)
- Difficulty walking
- Dizziness (including vertigo)
- Numbness, paralysis or weakness, usually on one side of the body
- Seizure (relatively rare)
- Severe sudden headache with no known cause
- Sudden confusion
- Sudden decrease in the level of consciousness
- Sudden loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden vision problems (e.g. blurry vision, visual loss in one side of vision or in one eye)
Intracerebral hemorrhage: a stroke caused by the sudden burst of an artery inside the brain itself. This type of stroke accounts for 10% or less of all strokes. An intracerebral hemorrhage can be caused by a traumatic brain injury, abnormalities of the blood vessels (aneurysm) or by high blood pressure.
Symptomsare the same as those listed above for ischemic stroke. Determining whether a stroke is ischemic or hemorrhagic can often only be done by imaging, such as a head Computed Tomography (CT) scan.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage: usually happens when a cerebral aneurysm suddenly bursts and quickly fills the area between the skull and the brain with blood (as opposed to inside the brain as in an intracerebral hemorrhage).
Symptoms include a severe headache – like the worst one you’ve ever had – that starts suddenly. In general, the symptoms include:
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
- Neck pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Vision changes (vision loss, unequal pupils)
- Altered level of consciousness (coma, stupor, confusion)
- Focal neurological symptoms (weakness, numbness, incoordination, speech difficulties)
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA): is a temporary stroke with symptoms that appear suddenly, last for a few minutes to hours, and then go away. A TIA usually happens when a blocked artery reopens on its own, indicating that a permanent blockage could occur next.
If you’ve had a TIA, this is your warning sign that you now have a high likelihood of having another or different kind of stroke in the near future and you need to get help immediately. Immediate evaluation and treatment after a TIA can afford the patient and physician time to uncover the cause and get the right treatment that may help to avoid a permanent, more damaging stroke.
Symptoms are the same as those listed above for ischemic stroke. Determining whether a stroke is ischemic or hemorrhagic can often only be done by imaging, such as a head Computed Tomography (CT) scan.
Although the different types of stroke can have similar symptoms, know what to do if you have a stroke. The most important thing to remember is that if you’re experiencing stroke symptoms, call 911 or get to the Emergency Department immediately.