- Haemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds. When an artery bleeds into the brain, brain cells do not receive oxygen and nutrients. In addition, pressure builds up in surrounding tissues and swelling occurs causing further cell death
- Haemorrhages can be caused by a number of disorders which affect the blood vessels, including long-standing high blood pressure and cerebral aneurysms. An aneurysm is a weak or thin spot on a blood vessel wall. Aneurysms develop over a number of years and usually don’t cause detectable problems until they burst
- About 15% of strokes are caused by haemorrhage (National Clinical Guideline for Stroke for the UK and Ireland 2023)
Page last reviewed: 17 Jul 2023
