Small vessel disease or a small vessel stroke is also called a lacunar infarction. The National Stroke Association notes that it occurs when the flow of blood in a small arterial vessel leading to or in the brain is blocked. Small vessel strokes are thought to be linked to hypertension or high blood pressure as well as to risk factors for other types of strokes. This type of arterial disease can also increase the risk that a patient will have a serious stroke and is usually seen in individuals with other medical conditions such as diabetes.
Ischemic Stroke
In ischemic strokes, blood clots can form in the arteries to or within the brain. The Cleveland Clinic warns that these clots can block arteries and cut off blood flow in a condition called ischemia. If this occurs in a smaller cerebral blood vessel, it is called a small vessel stroke and can indicate that the individual is at risk of a stroke.
Embolic Stroke
An embolic stroke occurs in a similar mechanism as an ischemic stroke, except that the blood clot or embolus forms in an artery outside the head and travels through the cardiovascular system to the brain. The Stroke Association warns that it can become lodged in a small blood vessel in the brain, causing a small vessel stroke. Larger emboli can also cause blockages in other, larger vessels leading to more severe strokes.
Hemorrhagic Stroke
A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when an area of the brain does not receive adequate blood flow because of a rupture in a blood vessel in the brain. The National Stroke Association warns that hemorrhages can result from a number of conditions including chronic high blood pressure and aneurysms in an artery of the brain. An aneurysm is a weakened area in the artery that can balloon and burst, bleeding out. In most cases an aneurysm is not detectable until it ruptures.
