Causes of stoke in young adults

Dear Ask The Doctor: If a 20 year old patient has had stroke, was given burr hole as a treatment and now she's on low dose aspirin (75mg), what are the possible causes of her stroke? does she have ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke? her history includes mum with hypertension she took oral contraceptive pill (Dianette) for 2 years before she had stroke her alcohol intake was considered high she doesnt smoke there was no history of trauma nor other vascular complications

Dear Janice: There are different causes of stroke and these differ according to age group. In a young person the chances of a thrombus ( blood clot ) obstructing the cerebral arteries and leading to the stoke is less. However the other causes may include: Any blood disorder leading to hypercoagble blood like a protein C deficiency , a heart valve involvement which leads to emboli been formed which can travel to the brain and lead to a stroke, Oral contraceptive pills in those at risk of thromboembolic diseases,sickle cell anemia etc. One can only determine whether it was an ishcemic stoke or a hemorraghic one through a non contrast CT of the brain and thus it is difficult for me to comment on this point. This individual will need extensive investigations to find out the cause of her stroke including tests like CBC,echocardiography , carotid doppler etc.