Neurologic Review Flashcards
the brain is divided into 3 parts. What are they?
brainstem, the cerebellum, and the cerebrum.
the brainstem controls…
the most basic functions of the body and vitals
the cerebellum controls…
muscle and body coordination
the cerebrum controls…
emotion, thought, sensation, movement, sight, speech
messages sent to and from the brain travel though ____
nerves
define a stroke
an interruption of blood flow to the brain that results in the loss of brain function
two types of strokes are…
ischemic and hemorrhagic
an ischemic stroke occurs when…
blood flow through the cerebral arteries is blocked
two types of ischemic stroke are…
thrombotic (local) and embolic (traveled)
a hemorrhagic stroke occurs when…
bleeding inside the brain itself
what is a transient ischemic attack?
(TIA) a disorder in the brain in which brain cells temporarily stop functioning because of insufficient oxygen, causing stroke like symptoms that resolve in 24 hours.
BE FAST stands for…
balance, eyes (loss of vision in one or both eyes), fascial droop, arms, speech, time
outside of BE FAST, what are other symptoms of a stroke?
confusion, difficulty swallowing, decreased LOC, aphasia, and severe/sudden headache.
what is aphasia?
a disorder that makes it difficult to speak, write, read, or understand.
what conditions might mimic a stroke?
hypoglycemia, postictal state, subdural or epidural bleeding
what is an epidural hematoma?
bleeding between the skill and dura mater
symptoms of an epidural hematoma are…
immediate and severe following a trauma
what is a subdural hematoma?
bleeding between the brain and dura mater
symptoms of subdural hematoma are…
come days after injury
what is an intracerebral hematoma?
bleeding within the brain itself
symptoms of an intracerebral hematoma are…
immediate
define a seizure
a neurologic episode caused by a surge of electrical activity in the brain
what is epilepsy?
common cause of seizures, abnormal electrical discharges occurring in the brain
what is a generalized seizure?
severe twitching of all the body’s muscles that may last several minutes or more.
what is a focal seizure?
affecting a limited portion of the brain, may experience no LOC, numbness or dizziness, paralysis briefly.
describe aura
a sensation experienced before a seizure; serves as a warning sign that a seizure is about to occur.
seizures that last more than ___ minute are at risk for ____
5 minutes, status epilepticus
status epilepticus is when…
seizures recur every few minutes or last longer than 30 minutes; life threatening!
cushing’s triad occurs when…
intracranial pressure (ICP), increased pressure on the brain
cushing’s triad is…
bradycardia, hypertension, irregular breathing
the most effective way to reduce the chance of another seizure following on is…
high flow oxygen
what is a febrile seizure?
a seizure caused by an acute fever spike, typically occur in children younger than 6 years old.
if blood is coming from the nose and ears following a head trauma, how should that be managed?
Loosely cover the nose and ears with gauze, never try to stop the bleeding! Keeps contaminants out!
what “vital sign” will provide you with the most information regarding the patient’s condition following a head injury?
mental status
define absence seizures
brief, staring spells that only last a few seconds
define myoclonic seizures
brief and sudden, involuntary muscle jerks that can affect any part of the body
define tonic seizure
stiffening of the muscles
define clonic seizure
rhythmic jerking movements of the whole body.
define tonic-clonic seizures
also known as grand mal seizures; loss of consciousness, stiffening of the body, followed by rhythmic jerking movements.
what is hemiparesis?
condition causing weakness or paralysis of one side of the body
what is decerebrate posturing?
abnormal body positioning that indicates a brainstem injury
