17. Neurologic Emergencies

Question 1

Any deviation from alert and oriented to person, place, time, and event, or any deviation from a patient’s normal baseline mental status.

Answer 1

altered mental status

Question 2

A swelling or enlargement of the wall of a blood vessel that results from a weakening of the vessel wall.

Answer 2

aneurysm

Question 3

The inability to understand and/or produce speech.

Answer 3

aphasia

Question 4

A disorder in which calcium and cholesterol build up inside the walls of the blood vessels, forming plaque, potentially leading to a partial or complete blockage of blood flow.

Answer 4

atherosclerosis

Question 5

A sensation experienced before a seizure; serves as a warning sign that a seizure is about to occur.

Answer 5

aura

Question 6

An interruption of blood flow to the brain that results in the loss of brain function;
also called a stroke.

Answer 6

cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

Question 7

A state of profound unconsciousness from which the patient cannot be roused.

Answer 7

coma

Question 8

A temporary change in mental status characterized by disorganized thoughts, inattention, memory loss, disorientation, striking changes in personality and affect, hallucinations, delusions, or a decreased level of consciousness.

Answer 8

delirium

Question 9

Slurred speech

Answer 9

dysarthria

Question 10

A blood clot or other substance in the circulatory system that travels to a blood vessel where it causes a blockage.

Answer 10

embolus

Question 11

A disorder in which abnormal electrical discharges occur in the brain, causing seizure and possible loss of consciousness.

Answer 11

epilepsy

Question 12

Seizures that result from the sudden high fevers; most often seen in children.

Answer 12

febrile seizures

Question 13

A seizure characterized by severe twitching of all of the body’s muscles that may last several minutes or more; known as grand mal seizure.

Answer 13

generalized (tonic-clonic) seizures

Question 14

weakness on one side of the body.

Answer 14

hemiparesis

Question 15

A type of stroke that occurs as a result of bleeding inside the brain.

Answer 15

hemorrhagic stroke

Question 16

Abnormally low blood glucose levels.

Answer 16

hypoglycemia

Question 17

Loss of bowel and/or bladder control; may be a result of generalized seizure.

Answer 17

incontinence

Question 18

A lack of oxygen that deprives tissues of necessary nutrients, resulting from partial to complete blockage of blood flow; potentially reversible

Answer 18

ischemia

Question 19

A type of stroke that occurs when blood flow to a particular part of the brain is cut off by blockage inside a blood vessel.

Answer 19

ischemic stroke

Question 20

A seizure affecting a limited portion of the brain.

Answer 20

partial (focal) seizure

Question 21

The period following a seizure that lasts 5 to 50 minutes; characterized by labored respirations and some degree of altered mental status.

Answer 21

postictal state

Question 22

A neurologic episode caused by a surge of electrical activity in the brain; can be a convulsion characterized by generalized, uncoordinated muscular activity, and can be associated with loss of consciousness.

Answer 22

seizure

Question 23

A condition in which seizures recur every few minutes or lasts longer than 30 minutes.

Answer 23

status epilectus

Question 24

An interruption of blood flow to the brain that results in the loss of brain function; also called cerebrovascular accident (CVA).

Answer 24

stroke

Question 25

A fainting spell

Answer 25

syncope

Question 26

A blood clot, either in arterial or venous system. When the clot occurs in a cerebral artery, it may result in the interruption of cerebral blood flow and subsequent stroke.

Answer 26

thrombosis

Question 27

A disorder of the brain in which brain cells temporarily stop functioning because of insufficient oxygen, causing stroke-like symptoms that resolve completely within 24 hours of onset.

Answer 27

transient ischemic attack (TIA)