Stroke

Question 1

What is stroke?

Answer 1

Stroke is a sudden onset of focal neurological symptoms of presumed vascular origin.

Question 2

Wha are the different types of stroke?

Answer 2

Ischaemic (85%)

Haemorrhage (15%) - intracranial, subarachnoid

Question 3

What are the risk actors for stroke?

Answer 3

Dyslipidaemia
Hypertension
Diabetes mellitus
Male
Atheroma

Question 4

What is the most common cause of stroke?

Answer 4

Embolism:
• Cardiac origin – atrial fibrillation or a mural thrombus
• Atheroma in the carotids producing embolism
• Aneurysm

Question 5

What else can cause stroke?

Answer 5

Thrombosis usually over an atheromatous plaque in the vessels e.g. basilar artery

Question 6

What is the difference between a regional and lacunar infarct?

Answer 6

regional (due to the occlusion of a named cerebral artery or a carotid artery), or lacuna (less than 1cm in diameter). Lacunar infarcts are associated with hypertension and commonly affect the basal ganglia.