Causes of stroke
Stroke is a sudden occurrence. However, certain factors are working behind the surfacing of stroke. Most of these factors are fortunately controllable. Some causes, however, cannot be controlled or monitored. [4]
High blood pressure
Abnormally high blood pressure for a long period is diagnosed as hypertension. It is the single most common underlying cause of stroke in half of the cases. Every one in four adults is reported to be hypertensive. The situation is even grimmer in the percentage of people who do not get diagnosed with the condition. Increased blood pressure against the walls of vessels can cause an ischemic stroke; increased pressure cause sclerosis of the vessel, wall thickening which results in narrowing of the lumen and hence the vessel becomes more prone to lodge a clot and interrupt the blood supply, or it can cause a hemorrhagic stroke; increased pressure causes thinning and weakening of the vessel wall, making them more prone to burst under high pressure. Hypertension can go undiagnosed in some cases due to a lack of clinical signs. However, managing blood pressure can decrease the risk of stroke