What type of stroke is most prevalent among the population?

Ischemic stroke is the most prevalent type among the population, accounting for approximately 87% of all strokes. This type of stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed, commonly due to a clot that forms in the arteries (thrombotic stroke) or one that travels from another part of the body (embolic stroke). The prevalence can be attributed to several risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, which all contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and the subsequent formation of clots.

In contrast, hemorrhagic strokes, which involve bleeding into or around the brain, occur less frequently but tend to be more severe. Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), often referred to as "mini-strokes," are temporary episodes that typically last only a short time and do not cause permanent damage, making them less common in terms of prevalence among stroke types. Cryptogenic strokes are those where the cause is unknown after thorough evaluation; while they represent a significant category, they do not surpass the prevalence of ischemic strokes.

Understanding these distinctions highlights why ischemic stroke is the most common type, as it forms the larger proportion of stroke cases reported in medical statistics and includes the ongoing impact of lifestyle