Stroke Flashcards
What is one of the leading causes of serious long-term disability in the U.S?
Stroke
What type of stroke is characterized by too much blood within the closed cranial cavity?
Hemorrhagic (13%)
Intracerebral (ICH) or bleeding into the brain tissue (10%)
Subarachnoid (SAH) or bleeding into the CSF (3%)
What type of stroke is characterized by inadequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to an area of the brain?
Ischmia (87%)
Thrombosis (in-situ obstruction of the artery)
Embolism (Debris from elsewhere)
Systemic hypoperfusion (general circulatory problem)
What is the clinical presentation of a stroke?
ALTERATION IN CONSCIOUSNESS HEADACHE APHASIA FACIAL WEAKNESS OR ASYMMETRY INCOORDINATION, WEAKNESS, PARALYSIS, OR SENSORY LOSS OF ONE OR MORE LIMBS ATAXIA VISUAL LOSS INTENSIVE VERTIGO, DOUBLE VISION, UNILATERAL HEARING LOSS, NAUSEA, VOMITING, PHOTOPHOBIA, OR PHONOPHOBIA
What are the characteristics of alteration in consciousness for stroke?
Stupor or Coma
Confusion or agitation/memory loss
Seizures
Delirium
What are the characteristics of headache for stroke?
- Intense or unusually severe
- Associated with decreased level of consciousness/neurological deficit
- Unusual/severe neck or facial pain
What are the characteristics of facial weakness or asymmetry for stroke?
- Paralysis of facial muscles (e.g., when patients speaks or smiles)
- May be on same side (ipsilateral) or opposite side contralateral to limb paralysis
What are the characteristics of Incoordination, weakness, paralysis, or sensory loss of one or more limbs of stroke?
Usually one half of the body
What are the characteristics of ataxia for stroke?
poor balance, clumsiness, or difficulty walking
What are the characteristics of visual loss for stroke?
- Monocular or binocular
- May be partial loss of the field
What are the stroke warnings?
- pSudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
What should you do if you experience stroke warnings or if a patient does?
Call 9-1-1 immediately
What are the differential diagnosis for stroke sx?
- Ischemic stroke
- Hemorrhagic stroke
- Craniocerebral / cervical trauma
- Meningitis/encephalitis
- Intracranial mass: Tumor, Subdural hematoma
- Seizure with persistent neurological signs
- Migraine with persistent neurological signs
- Metabolic-Hyperglycemia (nonketotic hyperosmolar coma), Hypoglycemia, Post-cardiac arrest ischemia, Drug/narcotic overdose
What should be obtained for stroke assessment?
-History
-Neurologic examination
-CT of the brain without contrast
-Electrocardiogram
-Laboratory
Hematologic studies (CBC, platelet count, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time)
Serum electrolytes/renal function
Blood glucose
Cardiac enzymes
-National Institutes of Health Scale (NIHSS) score
What are the risk factors for stroke?
- Hypertension (huge risk factor)
- Age
- Gender (men > women)
- Race ( African American > whites)
- Previous stroke/TIA
- Hypertension (huge risk factor)
- Age
- Gender (men > women)
- Race ( African American > whites)
- Previous stroke/TIA
What are the major causes of hemorrhagic stroke?
- Rupture of an arterial aneurysm (huge cause)
- Bleeding from vascular malformations
What are the types of hemorrhagic strokes?
Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH)
Bleeding directly into the brain → Localized hematoma
Grows until surrounding pressure limits growth
Destroys brain tissue with increasing size
Up to 44% 30 day mortality rate
What are the most common causes of hemorrhagic stroke ICH?
HYPERTENSION
Trauma
Illicit drug use (amphetamines and cocaine)
Vascular malformations
What is the clinical presentation of an ICH hemorrhagic stroke?
- Neurological symptoms increase gradually (over minutes – hours)
- Headache, N/V, and decreased level of consciousness
What is the goal of treatment for ICH hemorrhagic stroke?
-Contain and limit bleeding
-Removal of blood
-Manage complications
Increased intracranial pressure (ICP)
Decreased cerebral perfusion
-Control of causative factor (i.e.: Hypertension)
What drugs are contraindicated for hemorrhagic strokes?
THROMBOLYTICS
ANTICOAGULANTS- Heparin/LMWH
Warfarin
ANTIPLATELET DRUGS- ASA,Clopidogrel, Gp IIb/IIIa inhibitors
How do you treat hemorrhagic stroke ICH?
- Admit to intensive care unit
- Treat seizures when necessary
- If febrile, assess and treat source and treat fever with antipyretics
- Encourage early mobilization and rehab
What can be done to treat hemorrhagic stroke ICH?
- Elevated ICP (Class IIa, Level of Evidence B)
- Elevation of the head of bed
- Analgesia and sedation
- Osmotic diuretics
- Drainage of CSF fluid via catheter
- Neuromuscular blockade
- Hyperventilation
- Treat hyperglycemia (Class IIa, Level of Evidence C)
- Brief prophylactic antiepileptic therapy (Class IIb, Level of Evidence C)