What are the three types of CVA?

The three types of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), commonly referred to as strokes, are accurately identified as embolus, thrombosis, and hemorrhage.

Embolus refers to a piece of debris, such as a blood clot or fat globule, that travels through the bloodstream and lodges in a cerebral artery, leading to an ischemic stroke. Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot within a blood vessel, often due to the gradual buildup of fatty deposits or plaque in arteries, also resulting in an ischemic stroke. Hemorrhage, on the other hand, occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, leading to bleeding and subsequent damage to brain tissue, classified as a hemorrhagic stroke.

The other choices include terms that do not accurately reflect the primary types of strokes recognized in medical literature. For instance, while embolism and ischemia are related concepts, they don’t delineate the specific types of strokes effectively. Non-ischemic is not a standard classification used for strokes, and fatal does not describe a type of CVA but rather an outcome. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for recognizing different stroke presentations and their implications for treatment and recovery.