Acute Neuro Injuries Flashcards
Where is CSF found?
ventricles, around the brain, spinal cord and subarachnoid space
What is the purpose of CSF
to cushion, absorb shock and provide nutrients
Middle cerebral
most common artery for stroke
feeds 2/3 of the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes
Basiliar
Stroke here can quickly be devastating
Can result in locked in syndrome so you can only move your eyes and it affects sleep/wake cycles
Assessment for anyone with brain injury
- establish a baseline
- Airway/respiratory function
- cerebral oxygenation and perfusion
- regain maximal cognitive motor and sensory function
- subtle changes are key (Glasgow coma scale)
Conscious exam
Orientation
Concentration
Affect/behavior (is their behavior normal for the situation?), memory and logic
Cognitive dysfunction can be seen in
- reasoning
- Expressive aphasia (can’t get the words out)
- REceptive aphasia (don’t understand what is said to them)
- Global aphasia (mix of both)
When a patient has a short memory how should you provide patient teaching?
repeat multiple time, provide a paper copy, teach caregiver
Transient ischemic stroke
less than 24 hours
symptoms resolve - blood flow reestablished before damage
no infarct on scan
decreased blood supply
warning or potential stoke
Ischemic attack (stroke)
more than 24 hours
destruction of neural tissue
brain damage
Hemorrhagic stroke
leakage of blood or blood vessel into brain tissue
Can you have multiple TIAs without a stroke?
Yes
Ischemic stroke: thrombotic
injury to blood vessel wall –> formation of clot
Ischemic stroke: embolic
embolus occludes a cerebral artery –> embolus travels to circulation
Common cause is issues with the heart like a.fib
What is the difference between a thrombotic and embolic stroke?
The type of clot and where it came from
Where are the majority of aneurysms?
in the circle of willis
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)
bleeding in the brain, usually basal ganglia, poor prognosis, HTN is common cause
Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)
intracranial bleeding in the CSF filled space between arachnoid villa and Pia mater, aneurysm is the common cause
AVM (arteriovenous malformation)
abnormal dilated blood vessel with inappropriate capillary network, thin walls, tortuous and at risk for clot formation
Can interfere with perfusion to brain
Penumbra
area of hypoxia/ischemia or edema that can lead to damage
Clinical manifestations of a stroke
- weakness/paralysis
- numbness and tingling
- speech
- personality changes
- blurred. vision
- double vision
- motor function
- communication
- affect
- intellectual functioning
- spatial perception alterations
- elimination
What do you ask a patient before using contrast?
do you have any allergies to iodine, shellfish, or radioactive dyes?
What is important to ensure the patient has none for before an MRI?
NO METAL
no metal in the body or on the body
No jewelry, pacemakers, stents, or surgical implants
Diagnostics for stroke
- CT - most important
- MRI - more specific
- CTA - cerebral arteries
- MRA - vascular legions and blockages
- Intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) - gold standard for aneurysms
Other tests for patient that have suffered a stroke
- cerebral blood flow angiogram
- ECG and 24 hour heat monitoring
- Chest x-ray
- Echocardiogram
- Coagulation studies
Alteplase
Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator
Protein that breaks up clots
Given within 3-3.4 hours after onset
Ischemic strokes only
Stroke core measure/what needs to happen before discharge
- Venous thromboembolism
- discharge on antithrombotic therapy
- Anticoagulation therapy for a.fib/flutter
- Thrombolytic therapy
- Antithrombolytic therapy by end of hospital day 2
- Stroke education
- Assess for rehabilitation
Medication for stroke
- Antithrombotic (asirpin)
2, Anticoagulants with a. fib (heparin/levenox) - Cholesterol lowering agent (statin)
- Diabetic medication (insulin, metformin)
- Antihypertensive medication (metoprolol, lisinopril)
Surgical treatment/prevention of stroke
- Carotid endarterectomy
- Transluminal angioplasty
- Stenting
What is a carotid endarterectomy?
removes plaque from arteries
What is a transluminal angioplasty?
uses balloon to open up stenosed artery
What are modifiable risk factors to prevent a stroke?
- hypertension
- health diet: low fat, sugar and salt
- Weight control
- Regular exercise
- Smoking cessation
- Limit alcohol
- Know s/s of stroke
- Treat a.fib since it is a precursor to stroke
Watchman implant
inhibits blood to pool in this area so ischemic strokes can be prevented
Benefit: no long term anticoagulation medications
What does a SAH interfere with?
CSF reabsorption, hydrocephalus results and leads to vasospasms
What does a hemorrhagic stroke cause?
Increased ICP and changes in LOC
Does size, location and times of hemorrhage matter?
Yes they do.
Location- pons affects breathing
Size - the larger it is, the more damage and mortality
Time: if it spread quicker, increase in damage and mortality
SAH intervention
Medications: to decrease BP below 160
Interventional radiology: coiling
Surgical management: resection and emboli zing blood vessel
Minimize deficits, prevent rebleed, prevent vasospasms (nimodipine)
Hypervolemic, hypertensive, hemodiluation (tripe H therapy to prevent vasospasms)
Ventrculostomy
Nimodipine
Helps to prevent vasospasms
CCB
Check BP before giving the medication and hold if systolic is less than 90
What does the diet of a stroke patient look like?
Diet restriction and thicker liquids
Are stroke patients a fall risk?
Yes, they need to wear non-slip socks, bed alarm set, frequent checks, room near nurses station, ensure the call light is on the side they can see because they have visual deficits
Traumatic brain injury
Trauma to the skull, scalp, or brain
When do deaths occur after a TBI?
- immediately at the time of injury
- within 2 hours of the injury
- 3 weeks later
Primary/direct TBI
- laceration
- skull fracture
- concussion
- diffuse axonal injury
- focal lesions of laceration
- open penetrating/closed
Secondary TBI results from… and includes…
results from primary TBI and includes swelling, infection and hypoxic brain injury
Coup-contrecoup
coup - first impact
contrecoup - damage on opposite side when brain move back from primary impact