Stroke Flashcards
when is risk of second stroke highest?
immediately after the first
3 main points defining stroke?
acute onset of symptoms (all strokes must be acute onset)
focal neurological signs and symptoms
due to disruption of blood supply
how is stroke diagnosis?
clinical diagnosis
scans just rule out other causes of similar presentation but can be normal even in stroke diagnosis
2 kinds of stroke?
ischaemic
haemorrhagic
most common stroke imaging?
usually CT
can be MRI
how many strokes are haemorrhagic?
10-15%
is haemorrhagic stroke same as intra-cranial haemorrhage?
no
intracranial haemorrhage can be different kinds, only an intracerebral haemorrhage is a stroke
types of intracranial haemorrhage?
extradural (extra cerebral)
subdural (extra cerebral)
subarachnoid (extra cerebral)
intracerebral (intra cerebral)
how do extra cerebral haemorrhages cause neuro damage?
due to compression not actual damage to brain tissue like in an intra cerebral
surgery more used for which type of haemorrhage?
extra cerebral as surgery can relieve pressure
why is surgery not really used in intracerebral haemorrhage?
surgery can remove the blood but cant undo the damage done to the brain tissue so not really worth the risk
when is surgery used in intra cerebral?
when pressure builds so much that it threatens life
only done to save life, cant fix disability
extravascular causes of haemorrhagic stroke?
not really a stroke but can cause intracerebral bleeding
eg bleeding into a brain tumour, abscess due to weakened blood vessel wall
blood related causes of haemorrhagic stroke?
not really a cause but can contribute
anticoagulants
strong antiplatelets
haemorrhagic diathesis
vessel wall related causes of haemorrhagic stroke?
hypertension
vasculitis (can cause ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke)
vessel wall abnormalities (aneurysms, AVMs, amyloid etc)
most common cause of stroke overall?
hypertension
arteriosclerosis vs atherosclerosis?
can co-exist
arteriosclerosis = thickening of middle wall of artery
atherosclerosis = formation of atheromas (plaques, lipids etc) on lumen wall
what causes arteriosclerosis?
hypertrophy to deal with high pressure in system
why is arteriosclerosis a problem?
narrows lumen reduces compliance (not as elastic) of artery so when blood pressure surges it can rupture
2 main types of intra cerebral haemorrhage?
lobar (large)
deep parenchymal haemorrhage
causes of lobar haemorrhage?
hypertension
should look for underlying cause such as metastatic lesion in brain
where is metastatic lesion usually found in brain?
grey/white matter border
what does deep parenchymal haemorrhage often lead to?
intra ventricular haemorrhage (any bleed can cause intra ventricular haemorrhage if it bleeds into the ventricles)
how does deep parenchymal haemorrhage usually present?
LACS
doesnt generally affect the cortex
what can mimic stroke?
migraine
post seizure focal deficits (usually only last a few hours)
hypoglycaemia
acute presentations of chronic pathology such as space occupying lesion
demyelination
bells palsy
non-organic states (functional)
if stroke mimic excluded, how can type of stroke be determined?
imaging