Passmed Stroke Notes

Question 1

types of ischaemic stroke?

Answer 1

ischaemic stroke

TIA (no infarcted tissue/<24 hrs)

Question 2

subtypes of ischaemic stroke?

Answer 2

thrombotic stroke (thrombosis from large vessel)
embolic stroke (blood clot from distant site, can be air, fat or clump of bacteria etc but usually blood clot)

Question 3

general features of a cerebral hemisphere infarct?

Answer 3

contralateral hemiplegia (initially flaccid then spastic)
contralateral sensory loss
homonymous hemianopia
dysphasia

Question 4

general features of brainstem infarction?

Answer 4

may result in more severe symptoms including quadriplegia and locked-in-syndrome

Question 5

general features of lacunar infarcts?

Answer 5

pure motor, pure sensory, mixed motor and sensory signs or ataxia

Question 6

what are the 3 categories of the oxford stroke classification?

Answer 6

unilateral hemiparesis and/or hemisensory loss of the face, arm and leg
homonymous hemianopia
higher cognitive function (e.g dysphasia, planning etc)

Question 7

features of total anterior circulation stroke (TACS)?

Answer 7

all three criteria
hemisensory loss and/or hemiplegia
homonymous hemianopia

Question 8

what causes TACS?

Answer 8

infarction of middle and anterior cerebral arteries

Question 9

what causes PACS?

Answer 9

infarction of smaller arteries of anterior circulation (e.g upper or lower division of middle cerebral artery)

Question 10

features of PACS?

Answer 10

2 of the 3 criteria

Question 11

what causes lacunar infarct?

Answer 11

infarction of perforating arteries around the internal capsule, thalamus and basal ganglia

Question 12

features of lacunar infarct?

Answer 12

only 1 of the following

• unilateral weakness (and/or sensory deficit) of face and arm, arm and leg or all 3
• pure sensory stroke
• ataxic hemiparesis