Each type of stroke has different causes. They include:

• Diseased arteries - blockage of the arteries is usually the result of athersclerosis, furring and narrowing of the artery walls with a mixture of cholesterol and other debris...

• Aneurysm - a weakened spot on an artery wall causes it to stretch. The vessel wall may become so thin it bursts, causing bleeding into the brain (haemmorhagic stroke).
• Atrial fibrillation - this kind of irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) can cause a blood clot to form in the heart, which then travels to the brain.