Hemorrhagic Stroke Also called: Intracerebral Hemorrhage, Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Summary A stroke is a medical emergency. There are two types – ischemic and hemorrhagic. Hemorrhagic stroke is the less common type. It happens when a blood vessel breaks and bleeds into the brain. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. Causes include a bleeding aneurysm, an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), or an artery wall that breaks open. Symptoms of stroke are Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg (especially on one side of the body) Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination Sudden severe headache with no known cause It is important to treat strokes as quickly as possible. With a hemorrhagic stroke, the first steps are to find the cause of bleeding in the brain and then control it. Surgery may be needed. Post-stroke rehabilitation can help people overcome disabilities caused by stroke damage. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Intracranial Hemorrhages National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Subarachnoid Hemorrhage National Institutes of Health Genetics Genetics Home Reference: COL4A1-related brain small-vessel disease National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: familial porencephaly National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy National Library of Medicine Resources Hemorrhagic Stroke Treatment (Beyond the Basics) UpToDate Intracerebral Hemorrhage Washington University, School of Medicine Let’s Talk about Hemorrhagic Stroke American Heart Association Subarachnoid hemorrhage Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Washington University, School of Medicine Patient Handouts Preventing stroke Stroke – discharge Journal Articles Hemorrhagic Stroke