Ischemic Stroke

In brief: An ischemic stroke occurs when part of the brain is injured because it does not receive enough blood and oxygen.

Use in moyamoya disease

In moyamoya, progressive arterial narrowing and limited collateral flow can make a region vulnerable when demand rises or blood pressure, hydration, carbon dioxide, or oxygen delivery changes. Embolic mechanisms can also occur. MRI diffusion imaging is commonly used to identify acute infarction and its vascular pattern. [1]

Treatment in the emergency setting must account for the individual vascular anatomy and hemorrhage risk. General information cannot determine whether a standard acute stroke treatment is appropriate. After stabilization, teams investigate hemodynamics, recurrent-event risk, rehabilitation needs, and whether revascularization may reduce future risk.

Clinical detail

Infarct patterns may be territorial, watershed, cortical, deep, or multifocal. Pattern and timing help clinicians distinguish hemodynamic failure from other stroke mechanisms.