Lecture 6 Introduction to Stroke Flashcards
Why study stroke?
It is the 3rd leading cause of death
To increase understanding of the pathophysiology of stroke
To understand the impact of a stroke
To develop effective prevention and intervention
What is the brainstem involved in?
Heart function
Breathing
Consciousness
What is the cerebellum involved in?
Control and coordinate balance
Fine muscle movements
What is the cerebrum involved in?
right and left hemisphere
What occurs in the frontal lobe?
motor cortex, judgement, inhibition, personality, emotions and language production
What occurs in the parietal lobe?
sensory processing and orientation
What occurs in the occipital lobe?
primary function is vision
What occurs in the temporal lobe?
auditory perception and memory
Why does the brain need a constant supply of blood?
To function properly, oxygen and glucose travel to the brain via blood and the brain requires 20% of our body’s oxygen
What happens when the blood supply is split?
The blood supply is split into anterior and posterior blood vessels which come together to form the circle of willis
What is the circle of willis?
Where the anterior and posterior blood vessels come together, it has important vessels that feed deep into the brain: the middle cerebral artery
The middle cerebral artery is one of the most common arteries to get blocked in an ischaemic stroke
What is a stroke?
An interruption to the blood supply in the brain, can cause significant cell death and affect different areas of the brain
What comes under the classification of ischaemic stroke?
Ischaemic strokes make up 80% of strokes
Cerebral thrombosis, cerebral embolism and systematic hyper-perfusion are all types of ischaemic stroke
What comes under the classification of haemorrhagic stroke?
Intracerebral haemorrhage, subarachnoid haemorrhage, epidural haemorrhage
What is an ischaemic stroke?
A blockage to the brain
Currently no cure for ischaemic strokes
What is a haemorrhage?
A uncontrolled bleed into the brain, less common but really severe, causes pressure and swelling
What is a Temporary Ischaemic Attack (TIA)?
Also known as a mini stroke, a temporary loss of blood supply to the brain but it resolves itself
What is cerebral thrombosis?
The blood clot forms within the brain itself and causes a blockage, the affected area would be called an infarction (dead cells)
What is cerebral embolism?
A blood clot which develops in a different part of the body and travels up to the brain causing a blockage. The area where its developed is called the donor site
What is systematic hyper-perfusion?
A general reduction in blood supply across the whole body due to cardiac output
What is an intracerebral haemorrhage?
A blood vessel deep within the brain erupting
The bleed tears and disconnects vital nerve centres and pathways
Most often caused by uncontrolled hypertension
Often forms a localised blood collection called a haematoma
What is a subarachnoid/epidural/subdural haemorrhage?
Where the blood vessels erupt around the skull
Subarachnoid - Usually caused by the rupture of an aneurysm, it spills blood into the spinal fluid and increases the pressure inside the skull
Symptoms are diffuse and not localised to one area
Subdural and epidural - Most often caused by head injuries that tear blood vessels
Why might blood vessels erupt?
Due to aneurysms (weak arteries which are more likely to burst)
Why do TIAs resolve themselves?
Because the blood clot dissolves itself and the blood supply is restored, symptoms lasting <24 hours
