Template:Ischemic Stroke Cause

Ischemic stroke causes (87% of all strokes)

  • Thrombotic (80% of ischemic CVA)
    • Atherosclerosis
    • Vasculitis
    • Vertebral and carotid artery dissection (common cause of stroke in young patients)
      • Often preceded by yoga, spinal manipulation, coughing, vomiting
    • Polycythemia
    • Hypercoagulable state (oral contraceptives, antiphospholipid antibodies, protein S and C deficiencies, sickle cell anemia)
    • Infection
    • Toxic (cocaine, ampphetamines, etc.)
  • Embolic (20% of ischemic CVA)
    • Valvular vegetations
    • Mural thrombi
    • Arterial-arterial emboli from proximal source (ex. amaurosis fugax -> emboli from a proximal carotid artery plaque embolizes to the ophtalmic artery, causing transient monocular blindness)
    • Fat emboli
    • Septic emboli
  • Hypoperfusion
    • Cardiac failure resulting in systemic hypotension