Stroke Flashcards
what is a stroke
a focal neurological deficit resulting from cerebrovascular disease and lasting more than 24 hours or causing earlier death
what happens during a stroke
hypoxia due to no blood flow and cell death
what are the two types of stroke
ischaemia
haemorrhage
what is the acronym for detecting strokes
FAST
face, arm, speech, time
what is a TIA
localised loss of brain function and an ischaemic event
why do TIAs occur
platelet emboli from vessels in neck block blood supply to brain tissue - but these are removed before permanent damage can occur
what factors increase risk of a stroke
hypertension
smoking
alcohol
ischaemic heart disease
atrial fibrillation
what is the cause of ischaemic stroke
normally due to narrowing of vessels, deposition of plaque and occlusion of the vessels
what is the cause of haemorrhagic stroke
a small bleed in the brain caused by aneurysm rupture
what is the cause of embolic strokes
embolism from the left side of the heart
atrial fibrillation
what can be seen on angiograms that look like dark dots
berry aneurysms
causes of stroke
venous thrombosis
oral contraceptive pill use
polycythaemia
thrombophilia
what medication can be used to reduce strokes
aspirin
dipyridamole
clopidogrel
warfarin
apixaban
what are the three distinctions that must be made when investigating a stroke
if it is an infarction, bleed or subarachnoid haemorrhage
how can we investigate strokes
CT scans
MRI
digital subtraction angiography
assess risk factors
BP
ECG
