What usually triggers seizures after stroke?

It is hard to predict exactly what triggers a seizure after a stroke, although there are some conditions in which a seizure is more common with stroke victims, reports the National Stroke Association. Seizures are more likely after a severe stroke or a stroke involving the cerebral cortex.

Seizures are also more likely after a hemorrhagic stroke, a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain, according to the National Stroke Association. Such seizures commonly occur within 24 hours after a stroke and affect about 5 percent of individuals who have suffered a stroke. Stroke survivors, however, can experience seizures anytime during the first few weeks after a stroke. A stroke is the most common cause of seizures in older individuals.

There are over 40 different types of seizures, states the National Stroke Association. They involve symptoms such as tingling sensations, going blank for a few moments, shaking or trembling, spasms or convulsions, and losing consciousness. They are a sign of some type of brain damage and are caused by disorganized electrical activity in the brain.

A small number patients who suffer seizures after a stroke develop epilepsy, says the National Stroke Association. However, just because an individual has a seizure after a stroke does not mean that he automatically develops epilepsy.