An ischemic cerebrovascular stroke, often simply referred to as an ischemic stroke, is a type of stroke caused by a blockage or obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. This blockage reduces or completely cuts off blood flow to a part of the brain, leading to damage to brain tissue due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients.
Ischemic strokes account for the majority of all strokes and can occur for various reasons, including:
- Thrombotic Stroke: Caused by a blood clot (thrombus) that forms within a blood vessel supplying the brain, usually due to atherosclerosis (the buildup of fatty deposits on the artery walls).
- Embolic Stroke: Caused by an embolus, a blood clot, or other debris that travels from another part of the body, such as the heart or large arteries in the neck, to a blood vessel in the brain and blocks it.
- Hypoperfusion Stroke: Caused by a severe reduction in blood flow to the brain due to factors such as low blood pressure or systemic diseases affecting blood vessels.
The symptoms of an ischemic stroke can vary depending on the location and extent of the blockage but may include sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking or understanding speech, confusion, vision problems, and a severe headache.
Immediate medical attention is crucial for the treatment of an ischemic stroke. Treatment may involve administering clot-dissolving medications (thrombolytics), procedures to mechanically remove the clot (thrombectomy), and rehabilitation to regain lost function and prevent future strokes.
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