Hemorrhagic stroke

Approximately 15% of strokes are hemorrhagic.

Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, with high sensitivity for intracerebral hemorrhage, are essential in diagnosis.

Treatments for intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke differ radically.

The primary treatment of hemorrhagic stroke involves supportive care and optimization of intracranial hemodynamics.

Surgical resection of intracerebral hematomas may be of benefit in select cases, but has yet to be demonstrated as effective in clinical trials. Newer minimally invasive surgical techniques are currently being investigated.

Study results show that patients in dedicated stroke units have improved survival and reduced disability at 1 year.

Stroke is an acute neurologic deficit caused by cerebrovascular etiology. It is further subdivided into ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke is lack of blood perfusion due to occlusion or critical stenosis of a cerebrospinal artery, and hemorrhagic stroke is due to rupture of a cerebrospinal artery, resulting in intraparenchymal, subarachnoid, and intraventricular hemorrhage. Intracerebral hemorrhage is further subdivided into primary and secondary etiology. Primary spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage is defined as hemorrhage in the absence of vascular malformations or associated diseases. Secondary intracerebral hemorrhage is from an identifiable vascular malformation or as a complication of other medical or neurologic diseases that either impair coagulation or promote vascular rupture.