Ischemic Stroke

Stroke due to BRAIN ISCHEMIA resulting in interruption or reduction of blood flow to a part of the brain. When obstruction is due to a BLOOD CLOT formed within in a cerebral blood vessel it is a thrombotic stroke. When obstruction is formed elsewhere and moved to block a cerebral blood vessel (see CEREBRAL EMBOLISM) it is referred to as embolic stroke. Wake-up stroke refers to ischemic stroke occurring during sleep while cryptogenic stroke refers to ischemic stroke of unknown origin.