Stroke Presentation and Investigation Flashcards
What percentage of NHS beds are occupied by stroke patients?
20%
What is a stroke?
A neurological deficit of sudden onset, lasting more than 24 hours, of vascular origin
What is a transient ischaemic attack?
A neurological deficit of sudden onset and vascular origin but lasting less than 24 hours
What causes stroke?
Occlusion of a blood vessel by thrombus or embolus
Haemorrhage from rupture of a blood vessels
What percentage of strokes are ischaemic and what percentage are haemorrhage?
85% ischaemic
15% haemorrhagic
What are the symptoms of stroke?
Loss of; Power Sensation Speech Vision Coordination
What areas of the brain are supplied by the carotid system?
Most of the hemispheres and cortical deep white matter
What areas of the brain are supplied by the vertebro-basilar system?
Brain stem, cerebellum and occipital lobes
What are the potential causes of a stroke?
Vessel occlusion
Disease of vessel wall
Disturbance of normal properties of blood
Rupture of vessel wall
What are the main causes of an ischaemic stroke?
Large artery atherosclerosis (35%)
Cardioembolic e.g. atrial fibrillation (25%)
Small artery occlusion (25%)
Undetermined/cryptogenic (10-15%)
Rarer causes e.g. arterial dissection (<5%)
What are the main causes of haemorrhagic stroke?
Primary intracerebral haemorrhage (70%)
Secondary haemorrhage e.g. subarachnoid haemorrhage, arteriovenous malformation (30%)
What are the stroke subtypes?
TACS - total anterior circulation stroke
PACS - partial anterior circulation stroke
LACS - lacunar stroke
POCS - posterior circulation stroke
What are the features of TACS?
20% of strokes Patient usually has; weakness, sensory deficit, homonymous hemianopia
and higher cerebral dysfunction e.g. dysphasia
What are the features of PACS?
35% of strokes
2 of the 3 TACS criteria (weakness, sensory deficit,
homonymous hemianopia)
or
restricted motor/sensory deficit e.g. one limb, face and hand or higher cerebral dysfunction alone
What are the features of LACS?
20% of strokes
Can be pure motor, pure sensory, sensorimotor, or ataxic hemiparesis
What are the features of POCS?
25% of strokes
Affects brainstem, cerebellar or occipital lobes
Variable and frequently complex presentation
What are the risk factors for stroke?
Hypertension Atrial fibrillation Age Race Family history
What is alteplase?
Firbinolytic agent