CVA Flashcards
How many types of stroke are there
Ischaemic and Haemorrhagic (TIA falls under ischaemic)
What are the causes of ischaemic stroke
- Thrombotic (atherosclerosis plaque, clot from large vessel like MCA/PCA/ACA, clot from small vessel like lacunar infarct)
- Embolic (carotid plaque, Afib, atherosclerotic plaque)
What are the causes for haemorrhagic stroke
- Intracerebral (hypertension and thrombolytic drugs)
- Subarachnoid (aneurysm rupture/berry’s aneurysm)
What are the indications for CLC
- Hypoxia
- Metabolic imbalance (e.g. hypoglycaemia)
- Falls/Trauma to head
- Unresponsiveness
- Neurological disease processes (e.g. stroke, brain tumour)
- Epilepsy
- New admission (to form baseline assessment)
Which kind of stroke is CLC mainly used for
Haemorrhagic stroke
What does CLC measure
GCS, VS, Pupil size reaction and accomodation to light, Motor strength
What are the score ranges and GCS and what do they mean
Mild brain injury: 13-15
Moderate brain injury: 9-12
Severe brain injury: 3-8
At what score of the GCS do you need to prepare to secure airway
Less than or equals to 8
What are the ways to inflict pain on patient to test on their best verbal response
- Peripheral stimuli
- put pressure on lateral inner side of the 3/4th finger
- Central stimuli
I) Trapezius squeeze (for spinal cord injury >T4)
II) Pressure on supra-orbital notch/ridge (for spinal cord injury >C5)
What are the scores available for best motor response
6: obeys command
5: localise pain, moving limb to attempt to remove painful stimuli
- removing pain from peripheral stimulus: either withdraw hand or use another hand to remove stimuli
- removing pain from central stimulus: hand reaches towards painful stimuli and try to remove it
4: flexion to pain, withdraw from stimuli (arms bend but wrist is straight)
3: abnormal flexion/decortication (inward rotation of wrist/flexion of arm/wrist but extension of legs to pain) *injury to midbrain
2: extension to pain/decerebration (extend upper and lower limbs to pain) *injury to brain stem
1: none
What are the functions of frontal lobe
Movement, intelligence, behaviour, memory
What are the functions of parietal lobe
Intelligence, language, sensation, reading
What are the functions of temporal lobe
Speech, behaviour, memory, hearing, vision
What are the functions of brain stem
Breathing, blood pressure, heartbeat, swallowing and consciousness
What are the functions of cerebellum
Balance and coordination
What are the functions of occipital lobe
Vision
What are the 3 principles of acute ischaemic stroke
- Achieve timely recanalisation of occluded artery and reperfusion of ischaemic tissue
- Optimise collateral flow
- Avoid secondary brain injury
How low should bp be maintained pre tPA?
<185/110mmHg
How low should bp be maintained pre tPA?
<185/110mmHg
How low should bp be post tPA?
<180/105mmHg
When should bp be lowered in patients not undergoing tPA?
- When bp is >220/120mmHg
- When pt has a hx of ACS, HF, aortic dissection, hypertensive encephalopathy and acute renal failure
When should patients not undergo tPA
- When pt has a malignant cerebral infarct (symptoms for >4hr)
- When pt have signs of haemorrhage/is haemorrhagic/risk of haemorrhage
What are the inclusion criteria for patients to undergo tPA
- > /= 18y
- Time from last well seen (<4.5hrs)
- Ischaemic stroke with significant neurological deficit (NIHSS > 4)
What are the other alternative treatment for patients who can’t undergo tPA?
- Antiplatelet/anticoagulation therapy (aspirin/warfarin)
- Warfarin anticoagulant for short term (3mths) before changing to antiplatelet
- Heparin anticoagulant
- Factor Xa (rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban); direct thrombin inhibitor (dabigatran)
- Endovascular therapy (angioplasty/stent)
What is the surgical treatment for ischaemic stroke
Thrombectomy
What are the preventive measures for recurrent ischaemic strtoke
- Antiplatelet/anticoagulant
- Carotid endarterectomy
- Endovascular angioplasty/stent
What investigation results shd be tested for ischaemic stroke
- FBC
- PT/aPTT
- D-dimer (TRO DVT/thrombus)
- Fibrinogen
- BNP (signify cardiac failure)
- TSH (TRO hyperthyroidism which can cause AFib)
When is Endovascular therapy done
- For symptoms lasting >6hrs
- Large vessel obstruction
- NIHSS >/= 6hrs
How to care for pt post EVT
- Groin puncture site
a) monitor for bleeding, swelling, haematoma and pain. (Inform dr immediately)
b) keep leg straight and CRIB for 6hrs - Monitor for retroperitoneal haematomia (hypotension & flank pain)
- Monitor for arterial occlusion (leg paraesthesia, pallor, pain, pulseless, cold - do neurovascular assessment for cap refill, pulse etc)
What are the benefits of stroke patients staying in acute stroke unit?
More likely to be alive, independent and living at home one year after
What are the complications of tPA?
- Symptomatic intracerebral/intracranial haemorrhage
- Asymptomatic intracerebral/intracranial haemorrhage
- Systemic bleeding
- Other bleeding complications (minor to severe - e.g. clot dissolve but blood vessels start to leak)
- Angioedema
- Transient hypotension
What are the complications of ischaemic stroke?
- Cerebral oedema
- Post-stroke seizure
- Pneumonia
- UTI
- Post-stroke depression
- Pressure ulcers/bedsores
- Limb contractures/shortened muscles from decreased movement in affected area
- Shoulder pain
- DVT/VTE/blood clot in body (typical legs)
- Aphasia (difficulty speaking/unds speech)
- Hemiparesis
- Hemisensory deficit
- Muscle spasticity (muscle tightening due to prolonged muscle contraction)
- Shoulder subluxation (partial shoulder instability)
- Haemorrhagic transformation (petechial/mutlifocal OR secondary haematoma)
How to care for a TIA patient with new stroke symptoms
- Monitor GCS/NIHSS score regularly
- Inform medical team
- KIV hyper acute reperfusion stroke tx (tPA/EVT)
*if patient have new stroke within hyperacute timing, to see if patient is eligible for stroke tx
How to care for a ischaemic stroke patient with haemorrhagic transformation
- Monitor GCS/NIHSS closely and regularly
- Elevate HOB
- Inform medical team if
a) decreased GCS/increased NIHSS
b) new pupil changes
c) severe headache
d) N&V
How to care for a patient with malignant MCA/cerebellar infarct?
- Close monitoring for signs of neurological deterioration
- Osmotic therapy, hyperventilation (for oedema/swelling)
- Refer to neurosurgeon for decompressive craniotomy (give space for brain to swell)
How to care for an stroke patient with seizure
- Monitor for stroke activity
- Provide first aid if seizure occurs
- Administer antiepileptics
- Prophylactic antiepileptics (usually not given unless HI)
How to care for a stroke patient with dehydration?
- Administer IV therapy - isotonic saline to increase intravascular vol
(*avoid hypotonic saline as free water will worsen cerebral oedema
*avoid dextrose as hyperglycaemia will worsen o/c) - Monitor I/O (& inform Dr if there is a huge -ve)
- Commence feeding (oral/NGT) if permissible
How to manage BP for ischaemic stroke pts
If pt has undergone hyperacute tx
- IV thrombolysis/tPA = <180/105mmHg
- EVT = differing BP depending on patient profile/how successful is the tx
If pt has not undergone hyperacute tx, shd only tx bp if:
- >220/120mmHg for acute ischaemic stroke (permissive HTN up to 220/120mmHg)
*need to cautiously lower bp by 15% within first 24hrs post stroke (lowering bp too fast can cause hypotension)
-> to give slow acting bp meds to prevent prolonged lowering of bp + still can reverse if bp goes down too fast
What happens if a stroke patient has fever afterwards?
Having a fever post stroke is associated with increased mortality and morbidity attributed to:
1. Increased cerebral metabolic demand
2. Cellular acidosis
3. Changes in BBB permeability
4. Increase vol in infarcted tissue
*increase temp within 24hrs will cause poor o/c and large cerebral infarct
What are the causes of fever in post stroke patients?
- Infection (aspiration pneumonia/UTI)
- Cell necrosis
- Thermoregulatory mechanism of hypothalamus affected post stroke
How often should temperature and blood sugar level be monitored?
4hrly
What are the causes of hyperglycaemia in post stroke patients
- Stress hyperglycaemia
- Increased tissue necrosis
- Free radical generation with increased oxidation stress
(either produced naturally or accelerated due to a. exposure to toxic chemicals, b. smoking, c. alcohol, d. fried food) - Increased BBB permeability
- Underlying undetected hyperglycaemia (pt nvr check)
What is the range of blood sugar level to maintain for post stroke patients
7.8-10mmol/L
When and how should blood sugar level be controlled for post stroke patients?
BGL >10mmol/L to be treated with IV insulin (not bolus because it will cause BGL to crash)
What is a major risk factor of aspiration pneumonia?
Dysphagia
What are the signs of dysphagia?
- Excessive drooling
- No attempts to swallow/bolus holding
- Multiple swallows for each mouthful
- Coughing
- Choking
- Throat clearing for more than once
- Breathless/turning blue post swallowing
- Wet gurgly voice post swallow when asked to cough
How should dysphagia be assessed?
Using bedside assessment/swallowing protocol
When should dysphagia assessment be done to be most effective reducing risk of aspiration pneumonia?
Before eating, drinking or receiving oral meds