Neuro Flashcards
What are the risk factors for stroke? (4)
- smoking
- diabetes
- HTN
- Atrial fibrilation
What is a stroke?
Neurological deficit caused by lack of blood flow to the brain
What are the 2 main types of stroke?
Ischaemic & hemorrhagic
What is an ischaemic stroke?
blockage cuts off blood supply to parts of the brain killing brain cells - < dramatic & ~87% of stroke cases
What is a hemorrhagic stroke?
blood vessel in brain ruptures & bleeds = LIFE THREATENING
What is a TIA?
Transient ischemic attack
- temporary clot that resolves on own
- warning sign of stroke
What does FAST stand for?
Facial weakness
Arm weakness
Speech problems
Time to call 111
What are the signs & symptoms of a stroke?
- muscle weakness on 1 side of body
- impaired balance/coordiantion (ataxia)
- loss of senses
- visual loss or double vision
- difficulty swallowing
- slurred speech
- abnormal voice
What are the nursing interventions for someone who has had a stroke?
- assess mental status + LOC?
- neuro obs
- monitor pupils (changes in size)
- vital signs
- patent airway
- assess speech, memory & cogmotopm
- low stimuli environment
- HOBE
- prevent constipation
- observe any mood changes
- DVT prophylaxis
- watch for seizure
What are the medications used for someone who has had a stroke?
- antihypertensives (e.g. cilazopril)
- antiplatelets (e.g. clopidogrel)
- lipid-lowering drugs (-statins)
- anticoagulation (e.g. warfarin, dabigatran)
What is a seizure?
Abnormal, sudden electrical activity in the brain
What are some risk factors for seizures? (7)
- genetics
- head injury
- metabolic disturbances
- stroke/cerebro-vascular disorder
- toxic causes
- infections
- tumours & space-occupying lesions
what are 2 forms of seizures & what do they mean
Partial seizures = focal or discreet area of the brain
Generalised seizures = larger area of the brain often both hemispheres
What is a Simple Partial Seizure?
doesn’t affect awareness - no LOC
What is a Complex Partial Seizure?
consciousness is altered
lip smacking/fidgeting
What is a Secondary Generalised Seizure?
begin in one part of the brain, but then spread to both sides of the brain evolves into a tonic-clonic seizure
What is a tonic-clonic seizure?
yell/cry
abrupt fall to ground
generalised jerking
drooling/tongue biting/incontinence
What is a myoclonic seizure?
brief jerking movement - may be suttle or dramatic
What is a clonic seizure?
clonic jerking - asymmetrical
most frequently in neonates, infants or young children
What is an absence seizure
brief LOC
lasts 5-10sec
frequent
eye fluttering/appears tired
What is a tonic seizure?
tonic muscle contraction
altered consciousness
no clonic phase
less than 60sec
all ages
What is an atonic seizure?
sudden loss postural tone
restricted (e.g. just head nodding)
short + immediate recovery
usually occurs diffuse cerebral damage
abnormal ECG
What are the nursing interventions of a seizure?
- education + support
- medication regimes
- first aid training for family
- follow up w/ neurology team
- orientate pt
- neuro obs
What are the management principles of seizures?
- safe environment
- reasurance
- position (Recovery) w/ head support
- suction as required
- +/- oxygen therapy
- anti-eptileptic meds
