What is the majority type of stroke?

• A. Hemorrhagic stroke
• B. Ischemic stroke
• C. Transient ischemic attack
• D. Aneurysm

Answer: (B)

The majority of strokes are ischemic. This happens when a blood clot blocks or severely narrows a vessel that supplies part of the brain, cutting off oxygen and glucose to brain tissue. When blood flow is interrupted, brain cells begin to die, making ischemic stroke the most common type. Hemorrhagic strokes, caused by a ruptured blood vessel that bleeds into or around the brain, occur less often but can be more dangerous initially. A transient ischemic attack is a brief episode of neurological deficit caused by a temporary reduction in blood flow; it isn’t a stroke itself, though it’s a warning sign for a possible future stroke. An aneurysm is a wall weakness that can rupture and cause bleeding; it’s a cause of hemorrhagic stroke rather than a stroke type on its own.