- In this, the most common type of stroke, the blood vessel is blocked by a blood clot, which interrupts the brain’s blood supply. Blood flow to the brain is impaired and the brain cells begin to die within minutes from lack of oxygen and nutrients. The area of tissue death is called an infarct.
- These blockages may be due to:
- Narrowed arteries from cholesterol deposits (arteriosclerosis)
- A clot forming in an artery (thrombosis)
- A clot travelling from somewhere else & lodging in an artery (embolism)
- About 85% of strokes are ischaemic (National Clinical Guideline for Stroke for the UK and Ireland 2023)
Page last reviewed: 17 Jul 2023
