What is Stroke?

The are two main types of stroke:

• Ischaemic stroke which occurs when a blood vessel carrying blood to the brain becomes blocked by a blood clot;
• Haemorrhagic stroke which is caused when a blood vessel bursts thus causing blood to leak into the brain;

Ischaemic stroke is the most common form of stroke and is usually caused by clogged arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis.

Ischaemic strokes may be caused by:

• a cerebral thrombosis where a blood clot or thrombus forms in a main artery to the brain;
• a cerebral embolism when a blockage forms in a blood vessel somewhere else in the body and is carried in the bloodstream to the brain;
• a lacunar stroke whereby a blockage occurs in the tiny blood vessels deep within the brain.

Hemorrhagic stroke is the second most common form of stroke and is caused when small blood vessels in the brain become weak and burst. There are two main types of haemorrhagic stroke;

• an intercerebral haemorrrhage when a blood vessel in the brain bursts;
• a subarachnoid haemorrhage, when a blood vessel on the surface of the brain bleeds into the area between the brain and the inside of the skull.

The seepage of blood into the brain damages the affected brain cells.

Transient ischaemic attacks(TIAs) are the same as ischaemic attacks but the blockage clears very quickly. TIAs can be an indicator of fututure strokes and treatment at this early stage can reduce the risk of more serious strokes occurring.

Each year in the UK approximately 150,000 people have a stroke. Stroke is the third most prevalent cause of death in the UK and a leading cause of disability, approximately 40% of stroke survivors are left with some form of functional impairment. According to the Stroke Association more than 300,000 people in England live with moderate to severe disabilities caused by stroke.

In England the healthcare costs associated with stroke have been estimated at £2.8 billion plus a further £1.8 billion cost to the wider economy caused by lost productivity and disability.

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