DEFINITIONS

aneurysm

a bulge in the wall of an artery

the walls of the aneurysm are thin and weak so are likely to burst

angiography

type of x-ray to examine blood vessels

anticoagulant drug

blood thinning medication that works by reducing the risk of blood clots forming

antiplatelet drug

blood thinning medication that works by stopping platelets sticking together and forming clots

aphasia

difficulty speaking or understanding what is said

expressive aphasia

difficulty speaking

receptive aphasia

difficulty understanding what is said

apraxia

the inability to control and co-ordinate movements o

barthel index

an assessment tool that’s used to measure how well a person can carry out daily living activities

cardio-embolic stroke

stroke due to a blood clot that has formed in the heart and travelled to the brain

carotid endarterectomy

operation to clear carotid arteries of fatty deposits

CPSP

central post stroke pain also called thalamic pain syndrome - painful burning, throbbing or shooting feelings

CIT

constraint-induced movement therapy - kind of physiotherapy that involves a sling or strap on the persons unaffected arm to encourage the use of their affected arm

CVA

cerebro-vascular accident - another term for a stroke

DVT

deep vein thrombosis - a blood clot that forms in a blood vessel deep in the body

doppler scan

a type of ultrasound scan to check for narrowing of the blood vessels in the neck

dysarthria

weakness in the muscles that control the mouth, lips, tongue or breathing which can make speech slower, slurred and can cause problems with swallowing