Geriatrics (+ stroke) Flashcards
What does the internal carotid artery branch off to supply?
branches off to create the Anterior cerebral artery, as well as posterior communicating artery to join the circle of Willis
After this the ICA continues on as the Middle cerebral artery, which supplies the lateral portions of the cerebrum.
What does the middle cerebral artery supply?
MIDDLE CEREBRAL ARTERY—(huge artery) supplies majority of lateral surface of the hemisphere and deep structures of anterior part of cerebral hemisphere.
What does the anterior cerebral artery supply?
ANTERIOR CEREBRAL ARTERY (supplies and runs over Corpus Callosum and supplies Medial aspects of Hemispheres (anteromedial aspects of the cerebrum)
Outline the pathology behind an ischaemic stroke of atherosclerotic origin
Basically formation of atherosclerotic plaque:
Irritants damage the endothelium, damage becomes a site for atherosclerosis
A plaque forms, made of fats, cholesterol, proteins, calcium and immune cells encased in a fibrous cap.
If cap ruptures, (interestingly smaller plaques are more dangerous as they have weaker caps that are more prone to being ruptured),
then
Soft core is thrombogenic and platelets adhere to the exposed collagen, creating a clot,
= Known as an Atherothromboembolism
Outline the pathology behind an ischaemic stroke of emboli origin.
Blood clot from elsewhere in the body, typically from atherosclerosis or from the heart
Cardiac emboli from AF, MI or infective endocarditis 🡪 blood stasis, forming a blood clot.
Only emboli in the systemic circulation/aka left side of heart can cause an embolic stroke.
Emboli in right side of heart will go to the lung, *unless a patient has a Septal defect- they can travel through the septal defect and go up to brain
Outline the pathology behind an ischaemic stroke due to shock. What are watershed infarcts
A rapid drop in blood pressure/perfusion to brain means that areas in the brain furthest from arterial blood supply - Known as Watershed zones Can undergo infarction.
Watershed infarcts are unique ischemic lesions which are situated along the border zones between the territories of the major cerebral arteries.
Causes of ischaemic strokes - Where are the “Watershed zones” of the brain?
- Cortical border zone infarction: border of ACA/MCA and MCA/PCA
- Internal border zone infarction: borders of penetrating MCA branches,orborders of the deep branches of the MCA and ACA (resulting in deep white matter infarction)
Define: stroke
rapidly developing clinical signs of focal disturbance of cerebral function lasting more than 24 hrs or leading to death with no apparent cause other than a vascular origin
Name some risk factors for a stroke
- Hypertension
- Age: the average age for a stroke is 68 to 75 years old
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Hypercholesterolaemia
- Atrial fibrillation (ischaemic)
- Vasculitis
- Family history
- Haematological disease: such as polycythaemia, Sickle cell anaemia
- Medication: such as hormone replacement therapy or the combined oral contraceptive pill
What risk factors in young people increase likelihood of stroke?
- patent foramen ovale
- polycystic kidney disease (cause perianeurysms > SAH)
- AVMs arteriosus venous malformations
- vasculitis
- thrombophilias
- sickle cell
- cocaine use > severe hypertension
What is the Oxford stroke Bamford classification?
categorises stroke based on initial presenting symptoms + signs
- total anterior circulation stroke (TACS)
all 3 of the following:
- unilateral weakness of face, arm and leg
- homonymous hemianopia
- higher cerebral dysfunction (dysphasia visuospatial) - partial anterior circulation stroke (PACS)
2 of the following:
- unilateral weakness of face, arm and leg
- homonymous hemianopia
- higher cerebral dysfunction (dysphasia visuospatial) - lacunar syndrome
ONE of the follwoing
- pure sensory stoke
- pure motor stroke
- sensori-motor stroke
- ataxic hemiparesis - Posterior circulation syndrome (POCS)
ONE of the following
- cranial nerve palsy + contralateral motor/sensory deficit
- bilateral motor/sensroy deficit
- conjugate eye movement disorder
- cerebellar dysfunction
- isolated homonymous hemianopia or cortical blindness
What are the clinical manifestations of a stroke in the anterior cerebral artery?
Lower limb weakness and loss of sensation to the lower limb.
2. Gait apraxia (unable to initiate walking).
3. Incontinence.
4. Drowsiness.
Decrease in spontaneous speech.
Contralateral hemiparesis (weakness of one side of the entire body) and sensory loss with lower limbs > upper limbs
What are the clinical manifestations of a stroke in the middle cerebral artery?
(big artery so can cause weakness all along one side)
Contralateral hemiparesis with upper limbs > lower limbs
Facial drop
sensory loss with upper limbs > lower limbs
Homonymous hemianopia
Hemineglect syndrome: if affecting the ‘non-dominant’ hemisphere; patients fail to be aware of items to one side of space
Aphasia: if affecting the ‘dominant’ hemisphere (the left in 95% of right-handed people) as Brocas/Wernickes areas supplied by MCA)
Aphasia is the medical term for full loss of language, while dysphasia stands for partial loss of language.
Posterior circulation infarction
- ipsilateral cranial nerve palsy and a contralateral motor sensory deficit
- conjugate eye movements disorder
- cerebellar disfunction
- crossed signs
- isolated homonymous hemianopia
Wallenberg and weber syndrome
Wallenberg = occlusion of PICA
DANVAH
Dysphasia
Ataxia
Nystagus
Vertigo
anaesthesia
horners
Weber’s = occlusion of paramedic of posterior cerebral artery
‘Web in my eye’
What is a homonymous hemianopia?
a visual field defect involving either the two right or the two left halves of the visual fields of both eyes
Lacunar infarction
- occlusion of deep penetrating arteries
- affects a small volume of sub cortical white matter
(don’t present with cortical features) - pure motor hemiparesis
- ataxic hemiparesis
- clumsy hand and dysarthria
- pure hemisensory
- mixed sensorimotor
What are the clinical manifestations of a ischaemic stroke in the vertebral basilar arteries?
- Cerebellar signs
- Reduced consciousness
- Quadriplegia or hemiplegia
- disturbances of gaze and vision,
- locked in syndrome (aware, but unable to respond)
What is the first line investigation to do for a stroke, what would you see?
CT scan ASAP
- non-contrast
- Distinguishes ischaemic from haemorrhagic
Define hyperattenuation and hypo attenuation
hypoattenuation
- (darkness) of the brain parenchyma
loss of grey matter-white matter differentiation, and sulcal effacement
hyperattenuation
- (brightness) in an artery indicates clot within the vessel lumen
What are some other investigations you would do for a Stroke?
- ECG: assess for AF, MI
- ECHo (endocarditis/thrombus)
- Carotid doppler USS (carotid stenosis)
- Bloods:
(FBC, ESR, Lipid, glucose, clotting screen, LFTs)
Screen for risk factors including Hba1c, lipids, clotting screen and rule out stroke mimics such as hypoglycemia and hyponatraemia
In younger patients, consider ESR, autoantibody and thrombophilia screen (ESR raised in vasculitis) - CT angiogram (CTA): identifies arterial occlusion and should be performed in all patients who are appropriate for thrombectomy
- MRI head:MRI is an alternative to non-contrast CT head; MRI is more sensitive but CT is safer and easier to obtain
Management: ischaemic stroke
- maintain stable blood glucose levels, hydration status and temp (Nil by mouth = struggle to swallow)
- thrombolysis = alteplase
- <4.5hrs of symptoms onset and haemorrhage excluded on imaging
(but can do up to 9hrs IF CT shows an area of brain tissue is salvageable
OR from ‘wake up’ stroke’ form 9 hrs after the mid point of sleep)
- bolus and infusion
(do even if not seen clot on CT)
Thromboectomy
- mechanical recanalisation of culprit vessel
- do if can’t do thrombolysis
- up to 24hrs post stroke onset if imaging shows salvageable brain tissue
- Aspirin 300mg for 2 weeks
- Prophylaxis
- lifelong clopidogrel 75mg
What are some complications of thrombylysis ?
Bleeding anywhere,
- especially in the brain haemorrhagic stroke,
NEVER FOR HAEMORRHAGIC STROKE
- and in the urinary tract - so try to avoid catherising patients who have just had thrombolysis
-
What are the contraindications to thrombolysis?
ABCDEFG
A - anticoagulation
B - BP >185/110
C - CNS procedure/ cranial trauma/ recent stroke 3/12
D - diathesis (ACTIVE BLEEDING)
E - endocarditis, every major surgery/surgery last 2/52
F - former history of ICH at any time
G - glucose <3 or >10, GI bleed,