Which type of stroke is most common?

The most common type of stroke is ischemic stroke, which occurs when a blood clot obstructs or narrows an artery leading to the brain, resulting in reduced blood flow. This type of stroke accounts for approximately 87% of all stroke cases. Ischemic strokes can be further categorized into two main types: thrombotic strokes, which are caused by blood clots forming in blood vessels that supply the brain; and embolic strokes, which occur when a clot forms away from the brain—commonly in the heart—and travels through the bloodstream to lodge in narrower brain arteries.

In contrast, haemorrhagic strokes involve bleeding into or around the brain due to ruptured blood vessels and are less common than ischemic strokes. Subarachnoid hemorrhage, a specific type of haemorrhagic stroke, occurs when there is bleeding in the area between the brain and the thin tissues covering it, and while it can be severe, it represents a smaller portion of the overall stroke cases compared to ischemic strokes. A transient ischemic attack (TIA), often referred to as a "mini-stroke," is characterized by temporary symptoms of stroke that resolve on their own within 24 hours. While significant, TIAs are not classified as full