Stroke (CVA)

Question 1

What is a CVA?

Answer 1

Rapidly developing clinical signs or symptoms of focal and at times global loss of cerebral function lasting more than 24 hours or that lead to death, with no apparent cause other than vascular.

Question 2

What are the types of CVA?

Answer 2

Ischaemic;
- Clotting in the blood vessels supplying the brain
Haemorrhagic;
- A bleed from the blood vessels supplying the brain

Question 3

Risk factors for CVA?

Answer 3

• Hypertension (>160 / >95)
• Ischaemic heart disease
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Contraceptive pill

Question 4

What is the most common area of the brain for an infarct?

Answer 4

Middle cerebral artery

Question 5

What is the Bamford classification for stroke?

Answer 5

TACS - Total Anterior Circulation Stroke
PACS - Posterior Anterior Circulation Stroke
POCS - Posterior Circulation Stroke
LACS - Lacunar Stroke

Question 6

What does the middle cerebral artery supply?

Answer 6

• Sensory-motor cortex
• Basal ganglia
• Internal capsule
• Broca’s area

Question 7

What is a TIA?

Answer 7

Transient Ischaemic Attack

Question 8

Where does most of the motor information originate?

Answer 8

Motor-cortex in the frontal lobe

Question 9

What is the main descending pathway?

Answer 9

Corticospinal tract

Question 10

What happens in the medulla?

Answer 10

80% of fibres cross

Question 11

What is expressive dysphasia?

Answer 11

• Damage to Broca’s area in the left inferior frontal gyrus
• Struggle to produce speech
• Usually associated with right hemiplegia

Question 12

What is receptive dysphasia?

Answer 12

• Damage to Wernick’s area in the temporal lobe

- Problems understanding speech