Stroke health centre

Can atherosclerosis cause strokes? Know the risks

Atherosclerosis is narrowing of the arteries, and is a leading cause of strokes.

Atherosclerosis progresses silently, without symptoms.

Reducing the risk factors for atherosclerosis with lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of stroke.

Ischaemic stroke and haemorrhagic strokes are the two main types of strokes.

With ischaemic stroke, an artery inside or leading to the brain gets blocked. This is usually because of a blood clot forming because of atherosclerosis. It can also be due to a blood clot travelling to the brain from the heart.
Most strokes (about 80%) are ischaemic, and most of those are caused by atherosclerosis.

Haemorrhagic strokes are caused by bleeding into the brain.

Stroke symptoms

Stroke symptoms are the same no matter what caused it:

• Sudden weakness on one side in the face, arm or leg
• Problems speaking, slurred speech, inability to remember words
• Sudden blurry or double vision.

Brain tissue can die within hours of a person having a stroke because of a lack of oxygen and nutrients. Without treatment there can be permanent damage.

Stroke is a medical emergency and 999 should be dialled immediately for an ambulance.

The quicker treatment can begin, the better the chance of less permanent damage.

Atherosclerosis is a major cause of strokes

Atherosclerosis affects arteries of the brain just as it does elsewhere in the body.

Over time, plaques - fatty substances - build up and blood flow is restricted. Clots are more likely to form.

In most cases, plaque is never diagnosed - unless it causes symptoms or is detected during other medical tests.

Plaques in the arteries can become inflamed and unstable and more likely to rupture.

This puts debris into the blood stream which can block an artery in the brain casing a stroke.

Reducing the risk of an atherosclerosis induced stroke

Stroke risk can be reduced by removing the risk factors for atherosclerosis. Risks include:

• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• High blood cholesterol levels
• Unhealthy diet
• Not enough exercise
• Obesity.

Given quickly, 'clot-busters' can reverse stroke symptoms

Most strokes are caused by a sudden blood clot, which itself is caused by atherosclerosis. Administered quickly, clot-busting medications can reverse the effects of some strokes.

The clot-buster (called alteplase) must be given within 4 and a half hours of the first symptoms of stroke. That's why it is vital to dial 999 at the first signs of a stroke.