A stroke is generally classified as either ischemic or hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes account for approximately 80% to 85% of cases, while hemorrhagic strokes represent between 15% and 20%. The two conditions differ in their causes, symptoms and treatments.
On CNN Sinais Vitais, neurologist Cristine Cukiert and cardiologist Ronaldo Rosa, director of Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, discussed the subject with Dr. Roberto Kalil, including the warning signs and the connection between the heart and the brain.
An ischemic stroke occurs when an artery supplying the brain becomes blocked, in a mechanism similar to a heart attack. A hemorrhagic stroke, by contrast, occurs when a blood vessel ruptures, causing bleeding in the affected area.
Cukiert also highlighted the risk of traumatic brain bleeding in older adults. A subdural or extradural hematoma can follow an apparently minor blow to the head, with symptoms sometimes appearing weeks or even months later. In older people, the bleeding may develop more slowly because brain atrophy leaves more space inside the skull.
For that reason, any fall or blow to the head in an older person should be assessed with imaging, regardless of how much time has passed since the incident, according to the neurologist.
Treatment depends on the type of stroke. Hemorrhagic strokes may require surgical drainage, depending on the size of the hematoma. In ischemic strokes, time is critical: thrombolytic medication may be used within a four-and-a-half-hour treatment window to help reopen the blocked vessel. When a large artery is obstructed, doctors may perform a thrombectomy, using a catheter to remove the clot.
The specialist stressed that people should not wait for symptoms to improve on their own. Seeking emergency care immediately can increase the chances of successful treatment.
Sources: CNN Brasil.