An ischemicstrokeoccurs when a blood clot blocks blood flow in a vessel that carries blood to the brain. A common risk factor for this type of stroke ishigh blood pressure. Approximately 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes.
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Types
There are two types of ischemic stroke: embolic stroke and thrombotic stroke.
Embolic Stroke
Anembolic strokeoccurs when an embolus, or a clot forms in either the heart or neck arteries and moves through the bloodstream. It is then carried in the bloodstream, blocking a blood vessel leading to or in the brain.
Thrombotic Stroke
A thrombotic stroke occurs when a blood clot, or thrombus, forms in an artery supplying blood to the brain. The blood clot blocks the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a portion of the brain.
Causes
Diagnosis
When a person shows symptoms of a stroke or has aTIA (transient ischemic attack), the doctor will examine the patient in order to make a diagnosis. After obtaining a medical history, the followingdiagnostic testsmay be performed:
Symptoms
A person who is having a stroke may not notice that they are experiencing symptoms. If you think you are having stroke symptoms, or if you believe someone else is, a simple test is to think “FAST” and do the following:
Other symptoms of an ischemic stroke include:
Treatment
Immediate treatment is required to limit the level of brain damage that results from the blockage in blood flow. Treatment withtissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, has been effective for patients with an ischemic stroke as long as the patient has received it intravenously within three hours of the onset of symptoms.
Reducing Risk Factors
Ways to control risk factors for a stroke include:
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Stroke Association.Ischemic stroke (clots).Johns Hopkins Medicine.Types of stroke.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Stroke diagnosis.American Stroke Association.Stroke symptoms.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke (Alteplase, Activase®).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent stroke: what you can do.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Stroke Association.Ischemic stroke (clots).Johns Hopkins Medicine.Types of stroke.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Stroke diagnosis.American Stroke Association.Stroke symptoms.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke (Alteplase, Activase®).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent stroke: what you can do.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Stroke Association.Ischemic stroke (clots).Johns Hopkins Medicine.Types of stroke.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Stroke diagnosis.American Stroke Association.Stroke symptoms.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke (Alteplase, Activase®).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent stroke: what you can do.
American Stroke Association.Ischemic stroke (clots).
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Types of stroke.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Stroke diagnosis.
American Stroke Association.Stroke symptoms.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke (Alteplase, Activase®).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevent stroke: what you can do.
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