Cerebrovascular Accident Flashcards

Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)

  • Also known as a stroke
  • Related terms:
    • Arteriosclerosis
    • Alcohol Disease
    • Physical Inactivity
    • Hypertension
    • Dyslipidemia
    • Tobacco Smoking
    • Dietary Fat
    • Vascular Risk factors
    • Diabetes mellitus
    • Obesity
    • Blood pressure
  • Relevant areas:
    • Brain
    • Healthcare
    • Medicine
    • Medical
    • Neurological
    • Clinical
    • Health
    • Emergency
    • Hospital
  • Diagnostic Tools:
    • MRI Scan
    • CT scan
  • Treatments and Management:
    • rt-PA
    • Drug
    • Pill
    • Exercise
    • Care
  • Symptoms and Effects:
    • Hemiplegia
  • Patient Demographics:
    • Aged
    • Old
  • Related Conditions:
    • Embolism
    • Thrombosis
    • TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack)
    • AF (Atrial Fibrillation)
  • Other:
    • Cholesterol
    • Crisis

Pathophysiology of CVA

  • Blood flow to the brain is interrupted.
    • Due to an occluded (blocked) or ruptured blood vessel.
  • Interrupted blood flow causes:
    • Brain cell death
    • Neurologic damage

Stroke Facts (American Stroke Association)

  • Stroke is a "brain attack."
  • Stroke incidence:
    • More common after age 55, but can happen at any age.
  • Impact:
    • Leading cause of adult disability.
    • More than 2/32/3 of survivors will have some type of disability.
  • Frequency:
    • Every 4040 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke.
  • Cell Death:
    • Two million brain cells die every minute during a stroke.

Ischemic Stroke vs. Hemorrhagic Stroke

  • Ischemic Stroke:
    • Obstruction of blood flow to part of the brain.
    • Can be caused by atheromatous plaque leading to Intracerebral ischemia
  • Hemorrhagic Stroke:
    • Bleeding into the cerebral parenchyma.
    • Can be caused by a ruptured aneurysm causing Intracerebral hemorrhage

Symptoms of Stroke

  • Sudden numbness/weakness in face, arms, legs
  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
  • Sudden trouble seeing
  • Sudden dizziness, balance loss, unable to walk
  • Sudden severe headache

STROKE SYMPTOMS - BE FAST

  • BALANCE: Sudden loss of balance
  • EYES: Sudden vision changes
  • FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
  • ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
  • SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Do the words sound slurred? Can they repeat the sentence correctly?
  • TIME: If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is critical. Call emergency number immediately.

Nursing Interventions for Stroke

  • Manage acute symptoms → Prevent complications → Promote recovery
  • Key Interventions:
    • Neurological assessments
    • Medication management
    • Airway management
    • Safety
    • Aspiration prevention
    • Mobility
    • Bladder and bowel management
    • Psychological support
    • Patient education
    • Discharge planning