What is the proportion of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in Colombia and worldwide?

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Last updated: May 25, 2025View editorial policy

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From the Guidelines

En Colombia y a nivel global, los accidentes cerebrovasculares isquémicos representan aproximadamente el 80-85% de todos los casos de accidente cerebrovascular, mientras que los accidentes cerebrovasculares hemorrágicos constituyen el 15-20% restante. Esto se basa en la evidencia más reciente y de alta calidad, como se menciona en el estudio de 1, que destaca la importancia de la prevención del accidente cerebrovascular a través del control de factores de riesgo modificables. Algunos estudios sugieren que, específicamente en Colombia, la proporción de accidentes cerebrovasculares isquémicos puede ser ligeramente menor, alrededor del 75-80%, con accidentes cerebrovasculares hemorrágicos que comprenden el 20-25% de los casos. Esta variación puede atribuirse a diferencias en la prevalencia de factores de riesgo, incluyendo tasas más altas de hipertensión no controlada en algunas poblaciones colombianas. El patrón global se mantiene relativamente consistente en la mayoría de las regiones, aunque algunos países asiáticos informan proporciones más altas de accidentes cerebrovasculares hemorrágicos (hasta el 30%). Estas proporciones reflejan la fisiopatología subyacente de los tipos de accidente cerebrovascular: los accidentes cerebrovasculares isquémicos resultan de bloqueos de vasos sanguíneos, mientras que los accidentes cerebrovasculares hemorrágicos involucran sangrado dentro o alrededor del cerebro. Entender estas proporciones es importante para la planificación de la atención médica, ya que los enfoques de tratamiento difieren significativamente entre los dos tipos, con accidentes cerebrovasculares isquémicos que a menudo se manejan con terapia antiplaquetaria, anticoagulación o trombólisis, mientras que los accidentes cerebrovasculares hemorrágicos típicamente requieren control de la presión arterial y, a veces, intervención neuroquirúrgica. La evidencia de estudios como el de 1 y 1 respalda la importancia de la prevención y el manejo adecuado de los factores de riesgo para reducir la incidencia de accidentes cerebrovasculares. En resumen, la comprensión de la proporción de accidentes cerebrovasculares isquémicos y hemorrágicos es crucial para la planificación de la atención médica y la prevención de estas condiciones, y se debe basar en la evidencia más reciente y de alta calidad, como se menciona en el estudio de 1.

From the Research

Global Proportion of Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke

  • The global proportion of ischemic stroke is approximately 85% 2, with the remaining 15% being hemorrhagic stroke.
  • Hemorrhagic stroke can be further divided into deep (basal ganglia, brainstem), cerebellar, or lobar hemorrhages, with different underlying causes such as hypertension, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, or arteriolosclerosis 2.

Proportion of Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke in Specific Studies

  • A study from 2010 reported a higher proportion of hemorrhagic strokes (41.9%) compared to ischemic strokes (58.1%) in a specific patient population 3.
  • Another study from 2018 found that 11.0% of patients with acute ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation experienced hemorrhagic transformation 4.
  • A review from 2021 discussed the use of thrombolysis in stroke patients, including the risk of hemorrhagic transformation, but did not provide specific proportions of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke 5.

Proportion of Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke in Colombia

  • There is no specific information available on the proportion of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in Colombia based on the provided studies.
  • The global proportions of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke may not be directly applicable to Colombia, and further studies would be needed to determine the specific proportions in this region.

Comparison of Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke

  • Ischemic strokes are predominantly caused by small vessel arteriolosclerosis, cardioembolism, and large artery athero-thromboembolism 2.
  • Hemorrhagic strokes, on the other hand, can result from a variety of causes, including deep perforator (hypertensive) arteriopathy, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, or arteriolosclerosis 2.
  • The treatment and management of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes also differ, with ischemic strokes often treated with thrombolysis or mechanical thrombectomy, and hemorrhagic strokes requiring blood pressure management and reversal of coagulopathy 6, 5.

References

Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

Research

Stroke: causes and clinical features.

Medicine (Abingdon, England : UK ed.), 2020

Research

Stroke registry: hemorrhagic vs ischemic strokes.

The American journal of emergency medicine, 2010

Research

Thrombolytic strategies for ischemic stroke in the thrombectomy era.

Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH, 2021

Research

Therapies for Hemorrhagic Transformation in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Current treatment options in neurology, 2017

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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