Unit 4: Stroke

Question 1

What is a stroke?

Answer 1

AKA- cerebrovascular disease, it is a loss of function in a part of the brain as a result of either a blood blot in the vasculature of the brain resulting in restricted blood flow and cell death (ischemia) or a haemorrhage- limited space in the skull so an increase of pressure causes compression and damage.

Question 2

Where does a stroke take place?

Answer 2

It can happen anywhere in the brain- not just the cerebral cortex but someone is unlikely to survive a brainstem stroke due to loss of involuntary control.

Question 3

what is a brain infarct?

Answer 3

It is an area of brain tissue death due to inadequate blood supply likely from a clot

Question 4

Why is it important to determine which kind of stroke it is?

Answer 4

As in a blood clot, thrombolytics are used which decrease clotting but in a haemorrhage- this would make the bleeding worse.

Question 5

What is the demographic of stroke victims

Answer 5

40-60 y/o as risk factors have time to compound

Question 6

What are the risk factors?

Answer 6

Hypertension- increase pressure on capillaries in head which causes damage and weakening

Smoking- promotes vasoconstriction and hardening of BV which reduces elasticity more prone to rupture or clot

High alcohol consumption

Inactive lifestyle- increases the risk of high BP cholesterol and diabetes.

High cholesterol- fatty plaques in BV decrease space and increase the risk of blood clots. They also increase peripheral resistance which can increase BP

Family history

Diabetes- Increase glucose can harden BV- (glycolisation)

Question 7

What are the features of a stroke?

Answer 7

Hemiplegia- one-sided paralysis- as one side of the cerebrum controls the opposite side of the body there will be oppositely sided paralysis. Stroke to the motor cortex.

Contra lateral

Loss of speech- a large portion of the motor/sensory cortex dedicated to mouth Broca’s would affect speech production but Wernicke’s area would affect speech comprehension so word salad

Visual loss- stroke to the visual cortex (more uncommon due to size and position) could lose sight entirely or a portion of the field of view. Could also lose object recognition in the area of vision- eat only half of the plate of food

Sensory loss- large portions of the brain dedicated to sensory information- could be an abnormal or absent sensation.

Swallow

Psychological effects- depression or anger due to lack of independence or difficulty expressing themselves