Author
Home > Health > What is the Difference Between Hemorrhagic Stroke and Aneurysm?

Guilherme Mazui

•4 minutes to read

What is the Difference Between Hemorrhagic Stroke and Aneurysm?

🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚

A hemorrhagic stroke and an aneurysm are two different conditions that can affect the brain, but they can be related. The main difference between the two is:

  • Hemorrhagic Stroke: This occurs when there is a rupture in a blood vessel in the brain, causing bleeding and damage to the surrounding brain tissue. It can be caused by a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, which is a bulge in the wall of a blood vessel.
  • Aneurysm: An aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of a blood vessel, resulting from a weakened artery wall. Aneurysms can occur in any part of the body, including the brain and heart. They may not cause any symptoms until they rupture, at which point they can lead to a hemorrhagic stroke.

Symptoms of a hemorrhagic stroke may include sudden weakness or drooping in the arms, legs, or face, especially on one side of the body, confusion, difficulty speaking, changes in vision, or a sudden headache. On the other hand, an aneurysm may not cause any symptoms at all until it ruptures, and the most common symptom when it does is a sudden, severe headache.

Treatment for a hemorrhagic stroke aims to stop bleeding and prevent further bleeding, while treatment for an aneurysm focuses on managing or preventing complications, such as using drugs like nimodipine to reduce the risk of further bleeding or surgery to close the aneurysm or prevent blood from pushing into it. The outlook for people who have a stroke is more varied than that for people with an aneurysm, with ischemic strokes sometimes being relatively mild and hemorrhagic strokes more likely to be deadly or leave a person with cognitive or physical disabilities.

On this page
  • What is the Difference Between Hemorrhagic Stroke and Aneurysm?
  • Comparative Table: Hemorrhagic Stroke vs Aneurysm

    • Comparative Table: Hemorrhagic Stroke vs Aneurysm

    Here is a table comparing the difference between hemorrhagic stroke and an aneurysm:

    Feature Hemorrhagic Stroke Aneurysm
    Definition A type of stroke caused by the rupture of a weakened blood vessel in the brain, leading to bleeding and compression of the surrounding brain tissue. A weakened artery wall that can bulge and rupture, causing bleeding.
    Cause Bleeding from a ruptured blood vessel in the brain. Weakened artery wall, often due to damage to the artery, such as from trauma, high blood pressure, drug abuse, or a vascular problem present since birth.
    Symptoms Sudden onset of neurological symptoms, such as weakness or numbness on one side of the body, disorientation, dizziness, seizures, loss of vision, or severe headache. Rapid onset of neurological symptoms, such as severe headache, neck pain, stiffness, nausea and vomiting, and impaired consciousness.
    Treatment Depends on the severity and location of the bleeding, but may include medications to reduce brain swelling and surgical interventions to stop bleeding, repair the ruptured vessel, or prevent re-bleeding of a ruptured aneurysm. Depends on the size, location, and shape of the aneurysm, but may include medications to manage blood pressure and prevent rupture, endovascular coiling (insertion of tiny platinum coils into the aneurysm), or surgical clipping (application of a small clip at the base of the aneurysm).
    Outcome The outlook for an ischemic stroke can vary from devastating to relatively mild, with some survivors experiencing few if any long-term symptoms. A hemorrhagic stroke, on the other hand, typically has a poorer prognosis. The outcome depends on the severity of the aneurysm and its treatment, as well as the patient's overall health and well-being.
    Read more:

    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.