Stroke/CVA

Sudden loss of neurological function caused by an interruption of the blood flow to the brain.

(cerebrovascular accident)
is used interchangebly with stroke to refer to the vascular conditions of the brain.

Changes in the level of consciousness and impairments of sensory, motor, cognitive, perceptual, and language functions

At least 24 hours

Location and extent of brain injury, amount of collateral blood flow, and early acute care management.

No. deficits may subside spontaneously after swelling goes down in the brain.

If there is collateral blood flow, then that means there will be less damage during a stroke because the blood can still flow when a major artery is blocked meaning less tissue death.

That means the deficits subside when swelling has gone down meaning no permanent damage is left from the stroke.

If the deficits last longer than 3 weeks.

1) thrombus and embolus blocks blood flow to the brain resulting in tissue death; 2) hemorrhage occurs when blood vessels erupt resulting in leakage of blood around the brain.

Ischemic attack (thrombus/embolus) 80%

Hemorrhage because the pressure rises too rapidly to fix the problem

Plaque formation with an accumulation of lipids, firbrin, complex carbohydrates, and calcium deposits on arterial walls that leads to progressive narrowing of blood vessels.

Bifucations, constrictions, dilation, or angulations of arteries

Common carotid artery or at its transition into the middle cerebral artery, at the main bifucation of the middle cerebral artery, and at the junction of the vertebral arteries with the basilar artery.