Neurological Flashcards
What is a focal or partial seizure?
- Arises from a localized region of the brain and has clinical manifestations that reflect that area of the brain.
True or false: Focal discharges only remain local.
False: Focal discharges can remain localized or they can spread to nearby cortical areas, to sub-corticol structures and/or transmit thought commissural pathways to involve the whole cortex. The latter sequence describes the secondary generalization of focal seizures.
What is a secondary generalization of a focal seizure?
When focal discharges transmit thought commissural pathways to involve the whole cortex.
ex: A seizure arising from the left motor complex may cause jerking movements of the right upper extremity. If epileptiform discharges spread to adjacent areas and then the entire brain, a secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizure ensues.
What is a primary generalized seizures?
A seizure that begins with abnormal electrical discharges in both hemispheres simultaneously.
What are some of the manifestations of primary generalized seizures?
Manifestations range from:
- Brief impairment of consciousness (as in an absence seizure)
- Generalized motor activity accompanied by loss of consciousness. (generalized tonic-clonic seizure)
In general, what is an epileptic seizure?
A transient symptoms of abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain.
What characterizes an absence seizures? (3)
- Temporary loss of consciousness
- Usually with a sudden cessation of motor activity without falling
- Total amnesia of the event
How long to absence seizures usually last for?
They are brief (most last less than 20 seconds)
Do absence seizures include and aura?
No
Do absence seizures end with post-octal changes?
No
Do Grand mal seizures have auras of abnormal smells, taste, sounds, or visual changes?
Yes
Do Grand mal seizures have LOC?
yes
What is included in the tonic phase of a grand mal seizure?
muscle contraction
What is included in the hypertonic phase of a grand mal seizure?
extreme muscular contractions
What is included in the Clonic phase of a grand mal seizure?
spasmotic muscular rigidity followed by relaxation
What occurs in the post-ictal phase of a grand mal seizure?
Patient is unresponsive and awakes feeling confused and fatigued. HA is commonly noted
Are epilepsy and seizures synonymous?
No.
What reasons other than epilepsy can cause a seizure? (4)
- hypotension
- trauma
- electrolyte imbalance
- low blood sugar
What are the eight steps of First Aid for Seizures?
- Cushion head, remove glasses
- Loosen tight clothing
- Turn on side (so they don’t aspirate vomit)
- Time the seizure with a watch
- Don’t put anything in mouth
- Look of ID (seizure disorder info)
- Don’t hold down
- As seizure ends, offer help
Unprovoked seizures are often associated which two conditions?
Epilepsy
Related seizure disorder
Causes of provoked seizures in epilepsy and Related seizure disorder include:
- Dehydration
- Sleep deprivation
- Metabolic disturbances - hypoglycemia, hyponatremia, or hypoxia
- Withdrawal from drugs
What does the recovery position look like?
patient is turned on side.
What is status epileptics?
A potentially life-threatening condition in which the brain is in a state of persistent seizure.
Definition: One continuous, unremitting seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes
OR
Recurrent seizures without regaining consciousness between seizures for greater than 5 minutes
What is Syncope?
A transient loss of consciousness and postural tone, characterized by rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous recovery, due to global cerebral hypo perfusion to the brain that often results in hypotension.
What are some symptoms that can precede syncope? (9)
- weakness
- sweating
- a feeling of heat
- palpitations
- dizziness
- loss of vision
- loss of hearing
- nausea
- abdominal discomfort
This state is also known as Pre-syncope
Does a patient with syncope need to be sent to the ER?
Generally not unless you are concerned there was some kind o ischemic event.
A stroke is one form of ________ _______
Cerebrovascular disease
Another name for a stroke is a ________ _______
cerebrovascular accident
What are the 3 major categories of cerebrovascular disease?
Thrombotic
Embolic
Hemorrhagic
Which four factors are the survival of ischemic tissues dependent upon?
- duration of ischemia
- availability of collateral circulation
- magnitude of reduction of flow
- rapidity of reduction of flow
AKA - how many neurons were damaged
True or False: cerebral ischemia may be focal or global
True
Focal cerebral ischemia follows reduction of blood flow to a localized area due to an _______ or _______ in a large vessel, or vasculitis in a medium or small sized vessel
Embolus
thrombosis
True or false: In focal ischemia the signs and symptoms will change depending on which artery is effected.
True
What is a TIA?
Transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke)
If neurological symptoms resolve within 24 hours, the diagnosis is TIA
How long does a TIA last for
Can last for seconds-minutes, to up to 24 hours!!!!! which is much longer than a stroke.
How does a TIA present
Can present like a stroke in every way.
If milder symptoms are present, there is greater likelihood for the symptoms of be reversed.
How long can a stoke last up to?
1 - 60 minutes
What does RIND stand for?
Reversible Ischemic Neurological Defect
True or False: In TIA and RIND you can return to your previous pre-event neurological status
true
What are some conditions where local ischemia and resulting global hypoxia can occur? (3)
1) cardiac arrest
2) shock
3) severe hypotension
What are the risk factors for stroke? (6)
- advanced age
- HYPERTENSION
- DM
- high cholesterol
- tobacco use
- ATRIAL FIB
There are very physical finds that definitively distinguish between hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes, BUT…
Nausea, vomiting, headache and change in LOC are symptoms that are more common in which type of stroke?
hemorrhagic strokes
Which two conditions together lead to a SIGNIFICANT increase the risk of a stroke?
HTN and DM together…why statins are prescribed so regularly
In ischemic stroke a ____ blocks blood flow to an area of the brain
clot
In hemorrhagic stroke ________ occurs inside or around brain tissue
bleeding
Which stroke is more common?
Ischemic
Approximately 80% of strokes are ischemic
Which stroke has a greater mortality rate?
hemorrhagic
What is the most common cause of hemorrhagic stroke?
Poorly controlled HTN
Which race has a higher incidence of hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes than other races in the US?
African Americans
T or F: Individual can have many items strokes without having symptomology that is recognizable
True
What is the most common cause of thrombotic occlusion (ischemic stroke)?
In what areas of the brain? (2)
ATHERSCLEROSIS!!!!!
- Carotid bifurcation
- Vertebrobasilar system
Which vessel is found to have the greatest degrees of compromise? / have the worst consequences if occluded?
Middle cerebral artery
Approximately 50% of all stroke deaths occurs within the first ______hours
48
Common symptoms of stroke include abrupt onset of: (10)
- Monoparesis (weakness in one limb)
- Hemiparesis (weakness in the entire half of the body)
- quadriparesis (weakness of all four limbs)
- monocular or binocular vision loss
- visual field deficits
diplopia - dysarthria (difficult articulation of speech)
- ataxia
- vertigo
- aphasia
- change in LOC
Symptoms are usually unilateral
Symptoms can occur alone much are more likely to occur in combination.
What is the different between dominant hemisphere strokes and non-dominant hemisphere stroke
If the dominant hemisphere (usually left) is involved, a classic syndrome consisting of right hemiparesis, right hemisensory loss, left gaze preference, right visual field cut and APHASIA may result.
If the non-dominant (usually right sided) hemisphere is involved, a syndrome of left hemiparesis, left hemisensory loss, right gaze preference and left visual field cut may result. (NO APHASIA)