Stroke Flashcards
Definition of a stroke
Acute neurological deficit (‘loss of function’) of sudden onset with no apparent other cause other than vascular origin lasting more than 24 hours
What are the symptoms of a stroke?
loss of:
- vision
- sensory
- motor
- speech
- coordination
headache
name four causes of a stroke
- change in blood constituents
- rupture of an artery
- blockage of an artery
- disease of an artery
What is Dysarthria
muscles around mouth don’t work
What is Dysphasia
brain cannot produce speech properly
What is nystagmus
continuous uncontrolled movement of the eyes
What is atazia
loss of all bodily movement
What are the non modifiable and modifiable risk factors of stroke?
non modifiable
- age, race, family history
modifiable
- diet, exercise, smoking cessation, BP control, AF control
What are the two types of stroke?
haemorrhagic
ischaemic
What type of stroke is best seen on an MRI?
ischaemic - less blood flow, less dense, more black
What six things can be done during acute treatment?
PCI aspirin hemicraniectomy clot retrieval refer to stroke unit thrombolysis
What are the four subtypes of strokes called?
TACS Total anterior circulation stroke
PACS Partial anterior circulation stroke
LACS Lacunar stroke (small arteries)
POCS Posterior circulation stroke
What are the three symptoms that TACS patients have?
- Patients have weakness, sensory deficit
- Homonymous hemianopia = loss of half of the field of view on the same side in both eyes
- Higher cerebral dysfunction
How many of these three symptoms do PACS patients normally have?
2 symptoms
What investigations would you do for a stroke patient?
Carotid doppler (to check blood flow) Blood tests (lipids, FBC) ECG (electrocardiography) CT MRI Echocardiogram (check for clots in the heart)
