Cerebrovascular accident Stroke

Question 1

What is a stroke?

Answer 1

= A stoke is also known as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA)  blood supply is cut off to the brain
Occurs when there is:

• Ischemia (inadequate blood flow) to a part of the brain, or
• Haemorrhage into the brain that results in death of brain cell

Question 2

What is a Haemorrhage stroke?

Answer 2

• Ruptured blood vessel  Caused by a break in the wall of blood vessel in brain
• Break causes blood to leak into brain, stopping delivery of oxygen and nutrients

Question 3

Causes of a haemorrhage stroke?

Answer 3

• Aneurysm:
  o A weak or thin spot in a blood vessel wall
  o Congenital or acquired weakness and ballooning of vessels
  o Bust caused by high blood pressure
  • Arteriovenous malformation
  o AVM is a tangled mass of blood vessels
  o Usually present at birth
  o Located in brain the blood vessel wall bursts

Question 4

What is an ischemic stroke?

Answer 4

• Results from inadequate blood flow to the brain from partial or complete occlusion

types

• thrombotic stroke
• embolic stroke

Question 5

What is a thrombotic stroke?

Answer 5

• Occurs from an injury to a blood vessel wall and formation of the blood clot
• The lumen of the blood vessels becomes narrowed and if it becomes occluded infarction occurs
• Thrombosis develops readily where atherosclerotic plaques have already narrowed blood vessels

Question 6

What is an embolic stroke?

Answer 6

• Occurs when an embolus lodges in and occludes a cerebral artery, resulting in infarction and oedema of the area supplied by the involved vessel
• Most embolic originate in the endocardial (inside) layer of the heart, with plaque breaking off and entering circulation
• The embolus travels upward to the cerebral circulation and lodges where a vessel narrows or splits

Question 7

Risk factos for a stroke?

Answer 7

Non-modifiable

• Age
• Gender , Ethnicity, Family history

Modifiable
- Hypertension, Heart disease, Obesity, Diabetes mellitus , Hyperlipidaemia, Smoking , Excessive alcohol

Question 8

What does TIA mean?

Answer 8

TIA = transient ischaemic attack > a mini (clot) stroke

• Warning sign of progressive cerebrovascular disease
• Symptoms disappear completely within 24 hours in comparison to an ischaemic stroke as blockage in the artery clears it self quickly before the affected brain tissue dies

Question 9

What does FAST stand for?

Answer 9

F – face  check their face. Has their mouth drooped?
A – Arms  can they lift both arms?
S – Speech  Is their speech slurred?
T – Time  is critical call 000

Question 10

Describe the immediate actions to manage a person who might be having a stroke?

Answer 10

• Early treatment after stoke is vital
• No medical treatment to repair damage form stroke
• Drug therapy
  o Blood thinners
  o Anticoagulation therapy
• Surgery