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Haemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke

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A damaged or weakened artery may 'burst' and bleed:

An intracerebral haemorrhage is when the blood vessel bursts inside the brain. The blood then spills into the nearby brain tissue. This can cause the affected brain cells to lose their oxygen supply, and become damaged or die. This accounts for about 1 in 10 strokes.
A subarachnoid haemorrhage is when a blood vessel bursts in the subarachnoid space. This is the narrow space between the brain and the skull. This space is normally filled with a fluid called the cerebrospinal fluid. About 1 in 20 strokes are due to a subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Uncertain cause

The cause is uncertain in a small number of strokes

Who is affected by stroke?

Each year about 110,000 people in the UK have a first stroke, and about 30,000 have a recurrent stroke. Stroke is the largest cause of disability in the UK, and the third commonest cause of death (after heart disease and cancer.) Most cases occur in people aged over 65. Each year about 1 in 100 people over the age of 75 have a stroke. But, a stroke can occur at any age, even in babies. About one million people in the UK are living with the effects of stroke, with half of these being dependent on other people for help with everyday activities.