A person with a stroke has an interruption of the blood supply to an area of the brain, which causes the brain to malfunction.

This can happen three different ways:

• Thrombotic stroke:
• A blood clot forms inside an artery within the brain and this interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain.
• Occurs most commonly in the setting of atherosclerosis
• Embolic stroke:
• A blood clot that forms outside the brain, travels through the bloodstream, and then becomes lodged in an artery within the brain. This interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain.
• Occurs most commonly in the setting of atherosclerosis
• Hemorrhagic stroke:
• Bleeding within the brain tissue, caused by rupture of small blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. This interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain.
• Occurs most commonly in the setting of high blood pressure.