Cerebrovascular Diseases Flashcards
(120 cards)
3 criteria by which stroke is identified
Temporal profile
Evidence of focal brain disease
Clinical setting
Most important modifiable risk factors for stroke
Hypertension Atrial Fibrillation Diabetes mellitus Cigarette smoking Hyperlipidemia
Others include:
Systemic dses assoc with a hypercoagulable state
Use of OCPs
Atrial Fibrillation increases risk of stroke by about ____ and if with rheumatic valvular dse by about ____
6-fold
18-fold
Low levels of this electrolyte has been associated with increased stroke rate albeit through an obscure mechanism
Potassium
Low K intake and reduced serum K levels are associated with an increased stroke rate in several studies…
TIAs are generally considered more closely aligned with
A. Atherothrombotic stroke
B. Embolic stroke
A
Atheromatous plaques preferentially form at
- ICA at its origin from the common carotid
- Cervical part of the VA at their jxn to form the basilar artery
- Stem or main bifurcation of the MCA
- Proximal PCA as they wind around midbrain
- Proximal ACA as they pass ant and curve over the corpus callosum
Mechanisms through which atherothrombosis causes cerebral infarction
- Plaque or thrombus occupies lumen of a major intracerebral vessel (also watershed infarction)
- Atherothrombotic lesion in proximal vessel serve as nidus for formation of embolus (artery-to-artery embolism)
- Atherosclerotic plaque in large vessel occludes orifices of small penetrating vessels
What degree of stenosis and size of residual lumen of the carotid artery is most likely to be associated with strokes in the distal territory of the vessel?
Stenosis of >90%
Residual lumen < approx 2mm
Risk of stroke conferred by Afib according to age
<65y 1% per year
>75y 8%per year
What is the CHA2DS2-VASC score?
Heart failure or EF<35% - 1pt Hypertension - 1 Age 66-74y - 1 Age > 75y - 2 Previous stroke or TIA - 2 Diabetes -1 Coronary or peripheral vascular dse - 1 Female - 1
Predicted yrly stroke risk by total score 0 - 0% 1 - 1.3% 2 - 2.2% 3 - 3.2% 4 - 4.0% 5 - 6.7% 6 - 9.8 7 - 6.9% 8 - 6.7% 9 - 15.5%
Thickness of echogenic atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic arch found to be statistically associated with strokes.
> 4mm thickness
Migrating or traveling embolus syndrome and vessel involved
Artery-to-artery PCA occlusion from a thrombus in the proximal VA: mins or more before hemianopsia, fleeting dizziness diplopia or dysarthria from transient occlusion as clot traverses the BASILAR ARTERY
What is a paradoxical embolism
When an AbN communication exists bet R and L sides of the heart or alternative route connection via pulmonary arteriovenous fistula
Mechanism of embolism following thyroidectomy
Thrombosis in stump of superior thyroid artery extends proximally into lumen of the carotid and a portion is carried into the cerebral circulation
Clinical presentation of fat embolism
Associated to severe bone trauma
First pulmonary sx then multiple dermal (ant axillary fold and elsewhere) and cerebral petechial hemorrhages
Encephalopathy
Cerebral Air embolism may occur as a complication of the ff
Abortion Scuba diving Cranial, cervical or thoracic operations Venous catheter insertion Prev. Pneumothorax therapy
Percentage of presumed embolic strokes in which point of origin cannot be determined
20-30%
Brief ischemic attacks that precede a stroke leaving no clinical or imaging trace almost always stamp the process as
Atherothrombotic
In patients with TIAs caused by atherosclerotic dse, the 5-yr cumulative rate of fatal and nonfatal cerebral infarction is
And of myocardial infarction esp in those with carotid lesions
23% for cerebral infarction
21% for myocardial infarction
Risk of stroke over 3 yrs ff an attack of transient monocular blindness
2% if no other risk factors for atherosclerosis
24% in older pts with risk factors for atherosclerosis
What is the”capsular warning syndrome”
Escalating episodes of weakness in the face arm and leg culminating in a capsular lacunar stroke
A single transitory episode of TIA esp lasting >1hr and multiple episodes of different patterns suggest
Embolism
Brief 2-10min recurrent attacks of the same clinical pattern suggests TIA from
Atherosclerosis and thrombosis in a large vessel
TIAs induced by hyperventilation are characteristic of
Moyamoya disease