Stroke Flashcards
What is a stroke?
Cerebral vascular accident (CVA) that results in brain tissue death
What are the potential reasons that a stroke may occur?
Blood flow to an area of the brain is cutoff
Toxic blood comes into contact with brain tissue
There are two types of hemorrhagic strokes based on location, what are they?
Subarachnoid (in the subarachnoid space)
Intracerebral (deep in the brain tissue)
Subarachnoid hemorrhage details
Bleeding in the subarachnoid space
Most often caused by burst aneurysm
During a hemmorhagic stroke, blood can also pool …
In the ventricles which can cause hydrocephalus
Intracerebral hemmorhage features ….
Most common type
Blood vessel within the brain bursts
Often caused by hypertension and bleeding in small perforating arteries
Sometimes caused by Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), typically a congenital jumbled mess of arteries
What are the two types of ischemic stroke?
Embolic: clot that has broken off from somewhere and travelled
Thrombotic: Clot forms in the area of atherosclerosis
Both involve clots but one is stationary while the other is not
What is a transient ischemic attack?
Blood flow to part of the brain stops for a short period of time
Appears suddenly and lasts less than 24 hours (Clot resolves on its own)
Generally no permanent damage
What are some important stats about transient ischemic attacks?
40% of people who have a TIA will have a stroke
Nearly 1/2 of all strokes occur within the first few days after a TIA
Symptoms for TIA are similar to a stroke
Which type of stroke is more common?
Ischemic
Which type of stroke causes more deaths?
Ischemic
Which type of stroke are you more likely to die from?
Hemmorhagic
What are the signs and symptoms of a stroke?
Numbness/weakness
Confusion
Trouble speaking
Vision loss
Dizziness/poor balance
Severe headache
What does the FAST acronym for strokes stand for?
Face drooping
Arm weakness
Speech difficulty
Time to call 911
What are lifestyle factors that can reduce the risk for stroke?
Healthy diet
Physical activity
Eliminate smoking
Minimize alcohol consumption
What medical factors increase the risk for stroke?
Hypertension
Afib (irregular and often fast heart movement)
Hypercholesterolemia
Diabetes
Circulation problems
Carotid artery diseases
What are some uncontrollable factors that increase the risk for stroke?
Age > or equal to 55
Gender
Race (African American)
Family history
Previous stroke
Fibromuscular dysplasia
Patent foramen ovale
What is acute stroke treatment for hemorrhagic stroke?
Stop the bleeding