Cerebrovascular Events

Question 1

what is a stroke?

Answer 1

a disruption of blood suply to the brain resulting in damage and death of brain tissue

Question 2

what are some signs of a stroke?

Answer 2

weakness of the face
severe headache
confusion
trouble seeing
trouble speaking
dizziness

Question 3

what is atherosclerosis?

Answer 3

build up of plaque in your blood vessels

Question 4

what are the three things doctors will do to diagnose a stroke?

Answer 4

clinical presentation
CT
blood tests

Question 5

which vascular territory is affected if a patient has aphasia?

Answer 5

middle cerebral artery

Question 6

what is wallenburg syndrome and what area is affected by it?

Answer 6

wallenburg presents usually as dysphagia and slurred speech

lateral medulla

Question 7

what blood tests would you run?

Answer 7

blood glucose

platelet count

Question 8

why would you run a blood glucose test?

Answer 8

low blood sugar levels can cause symptoms similar to those of a stroke

Question 9

what might a platelet count reveal?

Answer 9

count is too high and you have a thrombotic disorder (too much clotting)

or they’re too low and you have a bleeding disorder

Question 10

what can an echo tell you?

Answer 10

the size and shape of your heart

can detect blood clots

Question 11

what can show if there is plaque in arteries?

Answer 11

a carotid ultrasound

Question 12

what would a lumbar puncture rule out?

Answer 12

a subarachnoid haemorrhage

BECAUSE it would reveal if there was blood in the CSF

Question 13

what two types of stroke are there?

Answer 13

ischaemic and haemorrhagic

Question 14

what kind of injury can form as a result of an intracerebral haemorrhage?

Answer 14

haematoma

bleeding into the ventricles (ivh)

Question 15

what would cause a subarachnoid haemorrhage?

Answer 15

the bursting of an anyeursm in an artery near the surface

Question 16

what three types of infarct can you get?

Answer 16

embolic
thrombotic
lacunar

Question 17

where does an embolic infarct originate?

Answer 17

it is a blood clot formed in one part of the body that then is dislodged and travels to the brain

Question 18

where does a thrombotic infarct originate?

Answer 18

in an artery that supplies the brain

Question 19

where does a lacunar infarct originate?

Answer 19

arterial blockage caused by hypertension

Question 20

what kind of management options would you be looking at for a HS?

Answer 20

management of blood clots
ICP
aneurysm repair

Question 21

what are the two methods of aneurysm repair?

Answer 21

coiling and clipping

Question 22

how would you treat an ischaemic stroke?

Answer 22

thrombolysis if applicable
antiplatelet meds
anticoag meds (blood thinners)

Question 23

what is thrombolysis and what is the medication called

Answer 23

it is the act of giving tPA to break down and disperse a clot

Question 24

why might a patient not be given tPA?

suitability

Answer 24

• haemorrhagic stroke
• didnt get to hospital in time
• they have a bleeding disorder

Question 25

what does MERCI stand for?

Answer 25

mechanical clot removal in cerebral ischemia

Question 26

what are some early complications of a stroke?

Answer 26

- recurrent infarction - re-bleeding - hydrocephalus - oedema - seizure - aspiration pneumonitis

Question 27

what kind of procedures can be done to prevent future strokes?

Answer 27

- carotid endarterectomy | - carotid artery stent

Question 28

what would an SLT be working with?

Answer 28

motor speech disorders aphasia communication dysphagia