Ch. 18 Neurologic Emergencies Flashcards
Altered mental status
Any deviation from alert and oriented to person, place, time, and event, or any deviation from a patient’s normal baseline mental status.
Aneurysm
A swelling or enlargement of a part of an artery, resulting from weakening of the arteerial wall.
Aphasia
The inability to understand and/or produce speech.
Atherosclerosis
A disorder in which cholesterol and calcium build up inside the walls of blood vessels, eventually leading to partial or complete blockage of blood flow.
Aura
A sensation experienced before a seizure; serves as a warning sign that a seizure is about to occur.
Cerebrovascular accident
An interruption of blood flow to the brain that results in the loss of brain function; also called a stroke.
Coma
A state of profound unconsciousness from which the patient cannot be roused.
Delirium
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.
Dysarthria
Slurred speech.
Embolus
A blood clot or other substance in the circulatory system that travels to a blood vessel wheere it causes a blockage of blood flow.
Epilepsy
A disorder in which abnormal electical dischafges occur in the brain, cuasing seizures and possible loss of consciousness.
Febrile seizures
Seizures that result from sudden high fevers; most often seen in children
Focal seizure
A seizure affecting a limited portion of the brain.
Generalized seizure
A seizure charachterized by severe twitching of all the body’s muscles that may last several minutes or more; formerly known as a grand mal sezure.
Hemiparesis
Weakness on on e side of the body.