Before we get into the solution, it’s important to understand the problem. Strokes generally come in two forms. The most common type, accounting for about 87% of all cases, is an ischemic stroke. This happens when the blood flow to a part of your brain gets blocked. Think of it like a plumbing clog in the delicate vessels of your brain. This blockage is usually caused by a piece of plaque that has built up in your arteries breaking loose, or by a blood clot that travels to the brain. The underlying process that leads to this plaque buildup is called atherosclerosis, which is essentially the body’s response to chronic damage and inflammation in the artery walls.
2. The Real Culprit: High Blood Pressure
So, what connects these two types of strokes? One of the most critical, controllable risk factors is high blood pressure (hypertension). When your blood pressure is consistently high, it puts enormous stress on the walls of your arteries, including those in your brain. This constant pressure inflames and damages the artery walls, accelerating the buildup of the dangerous plaque we talked about (atherosclerosis), which sets the stage for an ischemic stroke. For hemorrhagic strokes, that relentless pressure can weaken a blood vessel over time until it finally ruptures.
