Stroke Flashcards
What is the key feature of a stroke?
SUDDEN ONSET of neurological symptoms as a result of HAEMORRHAGE or ISCHAEMIA both leading to infarct also know as brain attack/CVA
What is a ‘stroke mimic’?
Symptoms or conditions that look like strokes such as fits, syncope, brain tumour, dementia and drug/alcohol abuse
___ of strokes are ‘stroke mimics’.
25%
Do strokes present with headaches?
Some do e.g. intracerebral haemorrhage whereas others might not e.g. ischaemic stroke
What are the risk factors for stroke?
BP Previous stroke/TIA MI, IHD AF Smoking (alcohol, lifestyle) DM FH PVD Hypercholesterolaemia
What can cause cerebral ischaemia due to perfusion failure?
Severe stenosis of the carotid and basilar artery (big arteries) OR microstenosis of the small deep arteries (cause of lacunar infarctions)
What is border zone/watershed infarction?
Where the effects of perfusion failure fall on the most distal territories before the most proximal territories
What can cause embolism to the brain form cardiac or aortic origin?
AF Recent AMI Subacute bacterial endocarditis Valvular disorders (native e.g. valve infection or artificial) Cardiac tumours
What can cause a intracerebral haemorrhage?
Raised BP (most commonly) Warfarin use Head injury/trauma Ruptured cerebral aneurysm AVM Cocaine/methamphetamine use Bleeding tumours Bleeding disorders (e.g. haemophilia)
What is the biggest cause of intracerebral haemorrhage in young adults?
Cocaine or methamphetamine use which causes severe hypertension and then haemorrhage
What are the 3 types of stroke?
- Cerebral ischaemia due to perfusion failure
- Embolism to the brain of cardiac or aortic origin
- Intracerebral haemorrhage
If a patient with a stroke has expressive aphasia, what area of the brain is this likely to be affected?
Language area in inferior frontal area
If a patient with a stroke has dysarthria, what area of the brain is this likely to be affected?
Cerebellum
How can you determine the localisation of a stroke?
Symptoms/signs and associated this with the brain area and vessels supplying this area
What type of symptoms do brainstem strokes tend to produce?
Slurred speech, balance problems, sensory symptoms on one side, contralateral motor symptoms and nystagmus in eyes for example i.e. complex brain syndrome
How are strokes classified based on the Oxford/Bamford stroke classification?
Based on vasculature:-
- TACs
- PACs
- LACs
- POCs
What are total anterior circulation strokes/infarcts(TACS/TACI)?
Larger cortical stroke in middle/anterior cerebral artery areas causing:
- Unilateral weakness +/ sensory changes (face, arm + leg)
- Homonymous hemianopia
- Higher cortical dysfunction e.g. speech + visuospatial problems
If the frontal lobe is involved in a stroke what type of symptoms may be seen?
Cognitive problems e.g. attention, reasoning and problem solving problems - most difficult to life with afterwards for them and family
What are partial anterior cortical strokes/infarcts (PACS/PACI)?
Smaller cortical stroke in middle/anterior cerebral artery areas causing 2/3 symptoms:
- Unilateral weakness +/- sensory changes (face, arm + leg)
- Homonymous hemianopia
- Higher cortical dysfunction e.g. speech + visuospatial problems
What are lacunar syndrome strokes/infarcts (LACS/LACI)?
Small vessel disruption with no evidence of larger scale cerebral dysfunction with one of the following symptoms:
- Unilateral weakness +/- sensory deficit (face + arm/arm + leg)
- Pure sensory or pure motor
- Ataxic hemiparesis
What are posterior circulation strokes/infarcts (POCS/POCI)?
Posterior circulation stroke affecting brainstem/cerebellar arteries with one of the following symptoms:
- Bilateral motor/sensory deficit
- Cerebellar/brainstem signs
- Isolated homonymous hemianopia
- CN palsy + contralateral motor/sensory deficit
What type of cerebral artery infarcts are rare?
ACA infarcts - MCA and PCA infarcts are more commonly seen
What are lacunar infarcts?
Small lesions with lake-like cavities giving focal deficits difficult to see on a CT scan that occlude smaller vessels like lenticulostriate, thalamogeniculate or brainstem perforating vessels so they are common in deep cerebral white matter (e.g. putamen nucleus of BG) and brainstem regions
What type of symptoms would a lesion of the internal capsule produce?
Purely motor symptoms as this is the region that motor tracts pass through
What causes a watershed infarct?
Systemic hypotension causing infarct in areas of overlap of supply - most commonly in ACA-MCA infarct caused by occlusion of carotid artery
What symptoms will a watershed infarct cause?
Loss of trunk sensation/motor function and aphasia (man in a barrel)
Visual processing/visuo-spatial affects if the MCA-PCA is affected - tend to go unrecognised for a while until driving for e.g.
What external factors can bring on a watershed infarct?
Out of hospital cardiac arrest (most commonly)
Post-surgery
Haemorrhage
What is another name for lateral medullary syndrome?
Posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) syndrome