Chapter 15: Neurologic Emergencies Flashcards
Stroke is a common cause of brain disorder that:
is potentially treatable
When assessing a scene, do not be distracted by the seriousness of the situation or by frightened family members who want you to rush. Look first for:
threats to your safety
The time of onset during a suspected stroke is critical because it helps determine:
whether the patient is a candidate for treatment with clot dissolving drugs
Petit mal seizures are also called:
absence seizures
Often, a patient may have experienced a warning prior to the seizure event. The warning is referred to as a(n):
aura
In some situations, the postical state may be characterized by hemiparesis or:
weakness on one side of the body, resembling a stroke.
In geriatric patients, you should consider a headache as:
potentially serious
A patient who almost always has an altered or decreased level of consciousness usually is suffering from:
hypoglycemia
Treat stroke and altered mental status (AMS) in children:
the same way you do for adults
You should always do at least three neurologic tests on patients you suspect of having a stroke. Which of the following is not correct?
a. Test their speech.
b. Test facial movement.
c. Test arm movement.
d. Check blood sugar if a glucose meter is available.
d. Check blood sugar if a glucose meter is available.
Headaches can be caused by which of the following conditions?
a. stroke
b. tumors
c. sinusitis
d. all of the above
d. all of the above
More than 80% of strokes are ________ strokes.
ischemic
In the mnemonic TIPS AEIOU, the first “I” stands for:
infection
more ____ than ____ have strokes
more men than women have strokes
but strokes are more fatal in
women
___ and _____ may also occur when there is a disorder in the brain
seizures and AMS
_____ can result from:
- head injury
- brain tumor
- metabolic problem
- genetic predisposition
seizures
the ___ is the body’s computer
brain
list the three major parts of the brain
cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem
the cerebrum is divided into ____ which control _____
left and right hemispheres which control activities on opposite sides of the body
what do the following parts of the cerebrum control
- back
- left
- middle
- front
- back: sight
- left: speech
- middle: movement and touch
- front: thought and emotion
the cerebellum controls
muscle and body coordination
the brainstem controls
basic functions like breathing, BP, swallowing, pupil constriction
messages sent from the brain travel through the
nerves
the brain is very sensitive to changes in ___, ____, and ___
temperature, O2, and glucose
disorders caused by the heart and lungs will…
affect the entire brain
problem mainly in the brain will…
only affect that part of the brain
____ is one of the most common complaints you will hear from your patients in terms of pain
headache
a ____/____ headache requires assessment and transport
sudden/severe
_____, _____, _____ are the most common types of headaches and are not medical emergencies
sinus, tension, migraine
migraine headaches are thought to be caused by
changes in the BV in the base of the brain
the ____ is the event and the ____ is the effect
CVA = event stroke = effect
a CVA or stroke is an ____ of the ____ to the ____ that results in loss of _____
a CVA or stroke is an interruption of the flow of blood to the brain that results in loss of brain function
time is
brain
when the brain lacks oxygen cells ____ and _____
stop working and begin to die
what are the two main types of stroke
ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke
____ is a direct blockage of blood flow through the cerebral arteries
ischemic stroke
ischemic strokes account for ___% of strokes
80%
the blockage of an ischemic stroke is from ___ or ____
embolism or thrombosis
____ is when a BV ruptures, causing INC pressure in the brain and subsequent brain damage
hemorrhagic stroke
hemorrhagic strokes make up ___ % of strokes
10-20
people at a high risk for hemorrhagic stroke have
very high BP
cerebral hemorrhages are often
fatal
a hemorrhagic stroke in healthy young people is called a
berry anuerysm
with hemorrhagic shock patients may experience
a sudden severe headache
____ when stroke symptoms go away on their own within less than 24 hours
TIA
TIA’s are known as
mini strokes
TIA’s may be
a warning sign of a larger stroke to come
_____ is lack of muscle coordination (sign of stroke)
ataxia
____ is speech disorders (sign of stroke)
dysphasia
____ is slurred speech (sign of stroke)
dysarthria
a stroke in the L hemisphere may cayse
aphasia
aphasia is the inability to
produce or understand speech
a stroke in the r hemisphere may cause
paralysis to the left side of the body and vice versa
if there is bleeding in the brain the patient will have very high
BP
three conditions that may mimic stroke
hypoglycemia, postictal state, subdural or epidural bleeding
postictal state is a period after a ____ that is ____ min and characterized ___ and ____
period after a seizure that is 5-30 min and characterized by labored breathing and AMS
most seizures last
3-5 min
seizures make up ___% of EMS calls
30%
a ____ is unconsciousness and generalized severe twitching of all muscles
generalized seizure
generalized seizures result from ____ from large areas of the brain
abnormal discharge
2 subcategories of partial seizures
simple partial seizures and complex partial seizures
with a ____ there is sudden loss of consciousness, chaotic muscle movemengt, apnea, and is preceded by an aura
tonic-clonic seizure
tonic is
bilateral muscle rigidity
clonic is
muscle contraction and relaxation
____ last for just seconds, after which the patient fully recovers
absence seizure
seizures that continue every few minutes without the person regaining consciousness or last longer than 30 minutes
status epilepticus
4 common causes of AMS
hypoglycemia, overdose, intoxication, poisoning
signs and symptoms of AMS vary from ___ to ____
confusion to coma
name of the stroke assessment used during the secondary assessment
cincinnatti prehospital stroke scale
cincinnatti prehospital stroke scale tests for
speech, facial movement, arm movement
all patients with AMS need a
GCS score
vital signs with a stroke include
DEC HR, erratic respirations, INC BP, changes in pupil size and reactivity
