eli5: what is the difference between a stroke and an aneurysm?
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An aneurysm is a weak spot in a blood vessel, which balloons out under pressure. They can occur anywhere in the body. If one in the brain bursts, it can cause a type of stroke called a “hemorrhagic stroke”. Aneurysms generally result from high blood pressure over time, although they can be genetic. The rupture is usually from trauma.
A “stroke” is tissue damage in the brain caused by disturbing the blood flow. It’s the same as a pulmonary embolism in the lung, or a myocardial infarction (heart attack) in the heart. The difference is that it is in the brain.
There’s two types of stroke: hemorrhagic and ischemic (lack of oxygen due to blockage). Hemorrhagic strokes cause damage because 1) the necessary blood is flowing out of the vessel instead of reaching vital tissue and 2) nerve tissue can actually be irritated by blood. Ischemic strokes are far more common and the tissue damage is die to lack of oxygen and build up of waste. Nerve tissue is extremely sensitive to lack of oxygen.
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