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Hemorrhagic stroke - Symptom

Alternative Names

Brain bleeding; Brain hemorrhage; Stroke - hemorrhagic; Hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease

Symptoms:

The symptoms vary depending on the location of the bleed and the amount of brain tissue affected. Symptoms usually develop suddenly, without warning, and often during activity. They may come and go (be episodic) or slowly get worse over time.

Symptoms may include:

Signs and tests:

A neurologic exam is almost always abnormal. The patient may look drowsy and confused. An eye examination may show abnormal eye movements and changes in the back of the eye. The patient may have abnormal reflexes. However, these findings do not necessarily mean a person is having a brain hemorrhage, and could be due to another medical condition.

A CT scan of the brain is the most important test used to confirm a brain hemorrhage. It should be done without delay.

A brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan can be done later to better understand what caused the bleeding.

Conventional angiography may be done in some cases to identify aneurysms or an arteriovenous malformation, although CT and MRI are more often used.

Other tests may include:

  • Reviewed last on: 9/16/2008
  • Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Zivin JA. Hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 432.

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