Pathophysiology

Pathophysiology Study Guide

©2018 of 131 Signs and symptoms of cerebrovascular accident are comprised of confused state of mind such that speaking becomes troublesome. Numbness or paralysis of the face, arm, or leg; blurred or blackened vision fromone or both eyes; sudden severe headache accompanied by vomit, dizziness, and impaired consciousness; and imbalance are additional signs and symptoms. The types of cerebrovascular accident are outlined below. Hemorrhagic Stroke due to hemorrhage happens when the blood vessels of the brain get ruptured or leak. It can be caused by uncontrolled hypertension, over treatment using anticoagulants, and a brain aneurysm. Another cause of hemorrhagic stroke is the congenital abnormal tangle of thin walled blood vessels, termed as arteriovenous malformation. There are two types of hemorrhagic stroke: intra-cerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Intra-cerebral hemorrhage is characterized by the bursting of a blood vessel in the brain where the blood spills in the surrounding tissues of the brain. It causes damage to the brain cells. Causes of intra- cerebral hemorrhage include hypertension, trauma, vascular malformations, and certain medications that thin the blood. In contrast, subarachnoid hemorrhage is characterized by the bursting of the artery near the brain surface such that blood spills in between the skull and brain. The major symptom of this disease is severe headache. It mostly occurs due to the bursting of an aneurysm that leads to widening and narrowing of the blood vessels in the brain, causing vasospasm and damage to cells of the brain. Thromboembolic Another cause of stroke is ischemic stroke and this type accounts for the majority of cerebrovascular accidents. In this case, the arteries of the brain get narrowed or blocked due to obstruction of the normal flow of blood to the brain cells and tissues, causing damage. The most common kind of ischemic strokes are thrombotic stroke and embolic stroke. Thrombotic stroke is due to the formation of a blood clot, referred to as a thrombus, in the blood carrying arteries in the brain. A thrombus can be formed due to plaque deposits causing atherosclerosis. In contrast, embolic stroke is caused due to the formation of a blood clot, called embolus, or debris at a site away from the brain, but is transferred and lodged in the brain through the bloodstream. Aneurysms An aneurysm is a weak part in the blood vessel that enlarges, termed as the ballooning of the blood vessel. These usually develop at branching points of arteries, which enlarge and then get weak as it stretches, and are typically seen along the major arteries in the brain. They can be saccular with a well-defined neck, saccular with wide neck, and fusiform without a distinct neck. The causes of cerebral aneurysms include hypertension, straining, heavy lifting, blood thinning medications, stress, and drugs. Signs and symptoms appear when an aneurysm enlarges and is associated with headaches, localized pain, pressure in the brain tissues and nerves, blurred vision, weakness in the arms or legs, difficulty with speech, memory issues, and seizures. Achieve Page 94