Key Terminology Flashcards
AAC
Augmented and alternative communication
Any method of communication that supplements the ordinary methods of speech and handwriting
Acute stroke unit
A stroke unit provides acute care in the early stages post-stroke
ADL’s
Activities of daily living
AF
Atrial Fibrillation
the most common type of irregular heartbeat and a risk factor for stroke
AFO
Ankle-Foot Orthotic
A support which compensates for weakness by controlling the position and motion of the ankle
Aneurysm
a balloon-like bulge in the wall of an artery. the walls of an aneurysm are thin and weak and so they are more likely to burst and cause bleeding in the brain. (a haemorrhagic stroke)
Angiography
a type of X-ray used to examine blood vessels. it can help to diagnose conditions that affect the blood vessels and the flow of blood through them
anticoagulant
a type of medication used to thin the blood. thinning the blood helps to reduce the risk of blood clots forming and reduces the risk of stroke
antiplatelet drugs
a type of blood thinning medication. they stop the platelets in the blood sticking together and forming clots which reduces the risk of stroke
Aphasia
difficulty speaking (expressive aphasia)
difficulty understanding what is said (receptive aphasia)
Apraxia
the inability to control and co-ordinate movements or carry out complex tasks
arrhythmia
an abnormal or irregular heartbeat
aspiration
food or fluid entering the lungs through the windpipe when someone has difficulty swallowing after a stroke
assistive technology
any product or service which is designed to help disabled people live independently
atherosclerosis
hardening of the arteries
blood pressure
the measure of how strongly the pressure against the walls of the arteries as it is pumped around the body
brain stem
the stem-like part of the brain, which links the two halves (hemispheres) of the brain to the spinal cord
cardio-embolic stroke
a stroke due to a blood clot that has formed in the heart and travelling to the brain
Cardiovascular system
consists of the heart, blood vessels and blood and is responsible for transporting oxygen, nutrients, hormones and waste product throughout the body
carotid arteries
the two large blood vessels at the front of the neck
carotid endarterectomy
an operation to clear carotid arteries of fatty deposits
CAT scan
computerized Axial tomography scan
a type of X-ray that is used to see what is going on inside the brain
Catheter
a small tube which drains fluid from a part of the body
CPSP
Central Post-Stroke Pain
an effect of stroke where the person has painful burning, throbbing or shooting feelings although there is nothing present that would normally cause pain
Cerebellum
a part of the brain that sits just underneath the back of the brain and on top of the brain stem
cerebral cortex
the outer layer of the brain that is made up of grey matter (brain cells)
Cerebrum
the largest part of the brain, which includes the cerebral cortex and other areas just below the surface. the cerebrum is important for movement, vision and higher abilities like thinking, memory and talking.
cholesterol
a fatty substance that is made in the liver and found in some foods
CIMT
Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy
the use of a glove or mitt on a stroke survivor’s less-affected hand to encourage them to use their more-affected hand whilst receiving input from a therapist
Clinical psychologist
a trained health professional who may provide emotional and behavioral assessment and support
cognitive function
anything that involves ‘thinking’ can be described as a cognitive function. many people have difficulty with cognitive functions after a stroke
CVA
Cerebro-vascular Accident
another term for a stroke
Dietitian
a trained health professional who can give specialist advice about eating a healthy diet
Doppler Scan
a type of ultrasound scan which is often used to check for narrowing of blood vessels in the neck
drop foot
a problem with walking that can be caused by a stroke
dysarthria
weakness in the muscles that control the mouth, lips, tongue or breathing
DVT
Deep-Vein Thrombosis
occurs when a blood clot forms in a blood vessel (vein) deep in the body. usually the clot is in the leg.
Echocardiogram
an ultrasound scan of the heart to check for an irregular heartbeat and ejection fraction
ECG
Electrocardiogram
a test for an irregular heartbeat
EEG
Electroencephalogram
a test that measures the electrical activity of the brain
embolism
the blockage of a blood vessel by a blood clot or piece of fatty material or other debris in the blood stream. an embolism is a type of stroke
enteral feeding
feeding through a tube connected to the persons stomach
epilepsy
a condition where someone has repeated seizures after stroke
ESD
Early Supported Discharge
for stroke survivors with mild to moderate impairment, who are deemed eligible to be discharged from hospital sooner to receive the necessary therapy at home
Extracranial-intracranial bypass
surgery to restore blood flow to an area of brain tissue
FAST test
a test that can be used by anyone to recognize when someone is having a stroke. FAST stands for ‘facial weakness, arm weakness, speech problems, time to call 999’
FES
Functional Electrical Stimulation
the use of electrical stimulation to promote functional activities
fMRI
functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
a type of brain scan used to study the workings of the brain
Gait
the way a person walks
Goal setting
the process whereby a health professional and their patient decide on the main objectives for rehabilitation
Haematoma
a blood clot that forms after bleeding from a burst blood vessel
haemorrhagic stroke
a type of stroke caused by a blood vessel bursting within the brain
intracerebral haemmorrhage
subarachnoid haemmorrhage
hemianopia
the loss of one half of the visual field which results in not being able to see to either the left or right of the visual field
hemiparesis
weakness of one half of the body
hemiplegia
paralysis of one side of the body
Hydrocephalus
a build up of fluid on the brain
Hyper-Acute stroke unit
a specialist centre designed to manage the first 72 hours of stroke care
Hypercholesterolemia
High levels of cholesterol in the blood
Hypertension
the medical term for high blood pressure
hypotension
the medical term for low blood pressure
Incontinence
loss of control of the bladder, bowel or both (double incontinence
Infarct/Infarction
an area of brain tissue that has not received it’s blood supply and as a result, has been damaged. an infarct can be tiny or affect a larger part of the brain
Ischaemic penumbra
injured cells which are often found around the main area of stroke damage
ischaemic stroke
a type of stroke that happens when a clot blocks an artery carrying blood to the brain
Lacunar stroke/ Lacunar infarct
a blockage in the tiny blood vessels deep within the brain which causes around 25% of ischaemic strokes
MRA scan
Magnetic resonance angiography
is a type of MRI scan used to look at blood vessels in the body
MRI scan
Magnetic Resonance imaging
a type of scan that uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves, instead of x-rays, to take detailed pictures of the inside of the body
MDT
Multi disciplinary team
includes a number of different health professionals who all have specialist training and experience in stroke
MID
Multi-Infarct Dementia
multiple mini strokes that take place over time giving rise to many tiny, widespread areas of damage. they are sometimes called ‘silent strokes’.
Neglect
not being aware of one side of the body and/or environment
Neuron
the term for a nerve cell
neuroplasticity
the ability of undamaged parts of the brain to take over the jobs of damaged parts
Nystagmus
Continuous uncontrolled movement of the eye
Ophthalmologist
a registered doctor who specialises in investigating and treating eye conditions
Orthoptist
an eye-care professional who can investigate, diagnose and treat defects of binocular vision and abnormalities of eye movements
occupational therapist (OT)
a trained healthcare professional who can help stroke survivors find ways of carrying out everyday tasks
PET scan
Positron Emission Tomography scan
produces a detailed three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body
Platelets
small cell-like particles found in the blood. they help the blood clotting process by clumping together to form a plug. they also release substances that promote clotting
plaque
fat, cholesterol, and other substances which build up in the walls of the arteries and form hard structures. These plaques can make arteries narrower and increase the risk of stroke
Psychiatrist
a medically qualified doctor who specialises in the study and treatment of mental health problems
psychologist
a clinical psychologist is trained in assessing and treating people with cognitive and mental health problems after stroke
physiotherapist (PT)
a trained healthcare professional who can help stroke survivors by treating physical problems such as weakness and paralysis
rehabilitation
support to recover and adapt to the impact of illnesses and long term conditions
rehabilitation unit
a ward or dedicated area in hospital staffed by nurses and therapists with experience in stroke rehabilitation
respite care
care given to someone for a short period, usually away from their own home, so their carer can have a break from their caring responsibilities
retinal stroke
a stroke that happens when there is a blockage in one of the blood vessels to the eye
SAH
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
a life threatening type of stroke caused by bleeding into the space surrounding the brain. it can be caused by a ruptured aneurysm, AVM, or head injury
Speech and language therapist (SLT)
a trained healthcare professional who can help people with communication support needs after stroke
Social worker
helps people to manage at home, carrying out assessments and arranging for support in the community
statin
a type of medication used to lower cholesterol, which can reduce the risk of stroke
stenosis (of an artery)
if an artery has become narrowed, it increases the risk of stroke as there is a greater chance of it becoming blocked
Thrombectomy
an early surgical procedure of removing a blood clot from a blood vessel
Thrombolysis
an early treatment for some types of strokes caused by a blood clot. the procedure involves being given a drug called alteplase
thrombosis
a blood clot that forms in an artery
TIA
Transient Ischaemic Attack
a ‘mini stroke’ the symptoms are very similar to those of a mini stroke, but they only last for a short time, sometimes only a few minutes or hours
TMS
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
a procedure which involves applying a magnetic current to parts of the brain to promote recovery
VAD
Vertebral Artery Dissection
a tear in the walls of an artery at the back of the neck. blood can then get between the layers of artery walls and this can lead to a clot forming, causing a blockage (a stroke)
Video Fluoroscopy
a procedure that involves taking a series of X-ray images of the parts of the body involved in swallowing. it can help to identify what is wrong and what strategies may help
visual field loss
the loss of sight in a particular area of visual field
VR
Virtual reality is an augmentation used by patients to help with therapy to provide gaming-like training experiences
