Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1546192
Ischemic Stroke 13 An ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery, cutting off the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a part of the brain. Unless nearby blood vessels can deliver enough blood to the affected area, brain cells will begin to die and the patient will start to have problems using certain parts of their bodies or completely lose some abilities. There are two types of ischemic strokes: embolic and thrombotic. In an embolic stroke, a blood clot or plaque fragment forms somewhere in the body (usually the heart or in the large arteries leading to the brain) and moves through the bloodstream to the brain. Once in the brain, the clot blocks a blood vessel and leads to a stroke. A thrombotic stroke is a blood clot that does not travel but forms inside an artery that supplies blood to the brain. The clot may interrupt the blood flow and cause a stroke.