Inn-truh-sir-E-brall Hemm-or-ah-jik Strok
An intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is bleeding in the brain. It is a type of stroke that can be deadly.
ICH is caused by a burst blood vessel in the brain. The most common causes are:
Other causes may be:
Older adults are at higher risk. It is also more common in men and people who are Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American. A family history of stroke also raises the risk.
Other things that may raise the risk are:
Symptoms depend on the size and location of the ICH. A person may have:
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done.
Blood tests and urine tests will be done.
Images will be taken of your brain. This can be done with:
Brain tissue can die without blood. Emergency care will be needed right away. It may include:
Medicine may be given to:
Surgery may be done on people with severe ICH to remove blood and ease pressure in the brain. This is not common.
Recovery depends on how much harm was done. It may include:
These things can help lower the risk of getting ICH:
American Heart Association
http://www.heart.org
National Stroke Association
http://www.stroke.org
Heart and Stroke Foundation
http://www.heartandstroke.ca
Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca
Hemphill JC 3rd, Greenberg SM, et al. Guidelines for the Management of Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2015 Jul;46(7):2032-2060.
Intracranial hemorrhage, cerebral hemorrhage and hemorrhagic stroke. Cleveland Clinic website. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14480-intracranial-hemorrhage-cerebral-hemorrhage-and-hemorrhagic-stroke. Updated October 25, 2016. Accessed October 29, 2019.
Intracerebral hemorrhage. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/intracerebral-hemorrhage. Updated September 5, 2019. Accessed October 29, 2019.
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Mayfield Brain and Spine website. Available at: https://mayfieldclinic.com/pe-ich.htm. Updated April 2018. Accessed October 29, 2019.
Intracerebral hemorrhage. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/neurologic-disorders/stroke/intracerebral-hemorrhage?query=Intracerebral%20Hemorrhage. Updated February 2017. Accessed October 29, 2019.
Last reviewed October 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Rimas Lukas, MD Last Updated: 6/30/2020
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