Stroke Awareness

Are There Types of Strokes?

Strokes are the No. 5 cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the US. There are three main types of stroke.

Ischemic stroke: This is the most common type of stroke. In an ischemic stroke, a blocked artery causes blood flow to be reduced. There are two types of ischemic strokes:

  • Thrombotic — a blood clot forms in arteries that supply blood to the brain.
  • Embolic — a blood clot forms away from the brain and is swept through the bloodstream to lodge in the narrower brain arteries. This is the most common type of ischemic stroke.

Hemorrhagic stroke: In this type of stroke, a blood vessel in the brain leaks or ruptures. There are two kinds of hemorrhagic strokes:

  • Intracerebral hemorrhage — a blood vessel in the brain bursts and leaks into surrounding brain tissue.
  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage — an artery on or near the surface of the brain bursts and leaks into the space between the surface of the brain and the skull. A sudden, severe headache can be an indicator of a subarachnoid hemorrhage stroke.

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) or a “mini-stroke” occurs when there is a period of stroke symptoms, but these symptoms last less than five minutes. The blockage in a TIA is temporary and may not have lasting effects.

Reviewed by: 
Review Date: 
May 21, 2015

Last Updated:
May 21, 2015