Neurology - Stroke and TIA Flashcards
What are the two types of cerebrovascular accidents?
Ischaemia or infarction
Disrupted blood supply to brain tissue
Intracranial haemorrhage
Bleeding in or around brain
What can disrupt blood supply to the brain?
Thrombus or embolus
Atherosclerosis
Shock
Vasculitis
What is a TIA?
Temporary neurological dysfunction caused by ischaemia without infarction
Symptoms have rapid onset
What is a crescendo TIA?
Two or more TIAs within a week indicating high risk of stroke
How do strokes present?
- Limb weakness
- Facial weakness
- Dysphasia (speech disturbance)
- Visual field defects
- Sensory loss
- Ataxia and vertigo (posterior circulation infarction)
What are the risk factors to a stroke?
- Previous stroke or TIA
- AF
- Carotid artery stenosis
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Raised cholesterol
- FH
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Vasculitis
- Thrombophilia
- COCP
What is used to identify stroke in the community?
FAST tool
Face
Arms
Speech
Time
What scoring tool is used in hospital?
ROSIER Tool
Recognition
Of
Stroke
In
Emergency
Room
Stroke possible in scores over 1
How are TIAs managed?
- Daily aspirin 300mg
- Referral for specialist assessment within 24 hours (within 7 days if more than 7 day since)
- Diffusion-weighted MRI scan
What is the initial management of a stroke?
- Exclude hypogylcaemia
- Immediate CT brain to exclude haemorrhage
- Aspirin 300mg daily for two weeks after haemorrhage excluded with CT
- Admission to stroke centre
How long after onset should alteplase be given?
Within 4.5 hours of symptom onset
When is thrombectomy considered?
In patients with confirmed blockage of proximal anterior or posterior circulation
Considered within 24 hours of symptom onset alongside IV thrombolysis
In ischaemic stroke what happens when blood pressure is lowered?
Worsen ischaemia
When is high blood pressure treatement indicated?
Hypertensive emergency
Reduce risks when giving IV thrombolysis
BP is aggressively treated in haemorhhagic stroke
What potential underlying causes are investigated in patients with TIA or stroke?
Carotid artery stenosis
Carotid artery stenosis
Carotid endarterectomy
Angioplasty and stenting
AF
ECG
Give anticoagulation