[2.8] Stroke

• STROKE

  • Most common disabling and lethal neurological disease.
  • 3rd leading cause of death following heart disease and cancer.
  • Called a cerebrovascular accident (CVA).
  • Interruption of blood flow to the brain results in sudden loss of some neurologic function for more than 24 hours.
• THROMBOSIS


  Most common cause of stroke.
• CEREBRAL EMBOLISM


  A blood clot that forms elsewhere and travels to a cerebral artery, obstructing it.
• ARTERIAL RUPTURE & HEMORRHAGE


  Cause bleeding into the brain.
• HYPERTENSION


  Sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain.
• FACE DROOPING

  • Is one side of the face numb?
  • Ask the person to smile, and check if the smile is uneven.
• ARM WEAKNESS

  • Is one arm weak?
  • Ask the person to raise both of their arms and check if one arm drifts down.
• SPEECH DIFFICULTY


  Is their speech slurred?