Cerebrovascular disease

Question 1

What is a subarachnoid haemorrhage?

Answer 1

Bleeding into the area between the arachnoid and the pia mater. the blood is of arterial origin and it can be spontaneous or due to trauma. Tends to be bleeding from the arteries in the circle of willis or branches.

Question 2

What is the typical symptom of a SAH

Answer 2

Thunderclap headache - often as the back of the head.
Sometimes can have sentinel headaches - smaller headaches which occur before the thunderclap headache
Neck stiffness
Photophobia

Question 3

What are the causes of SAH?

Answer 3

Secondary to berry aneurysms

can be due to trauma

Question 4

What are the risk factors for SAH?

Answer 4

High BP
Connective tissue disease e,g marfans
Alcohol

Question 5

What are some complications of SAH?

Answer 5

brain damage to reduced blood supply 
death?
Epilepsy 
Problems with mental functions e.g. memory probs
Changes in mood - depression

Question 6

What is vascular dementia?

Answer 6

Dementia caused by reduced blood supply to brain resulting in worsening cognitive decline

Question 7

What are the symptoms of vascular dementia?

Answer 7

Slowness of thought, memory loss, confusion, personality changes, finding it difficult to walk, urinary incontinence and hallucinations

Question 8

What are the risk factors for vascular dementia?

Answer 8

Age 
Hypertension 
Alcohol
diabetes 
AF 
hypercholesterolaemia

Question 9

How can vascular dementia be managed?

Answer 9

By managing other conditions to prevent further infarcts within the brain