Ischaemic Stroke Case Study

     The most common causes of strokes are thrombosis. This is when a clot forms in one of the arteries, mostly in the carotid in the neck and the vertebral artery. The blood is thick and moves very slowly through the artery. The thrombus will form on the damaged area of the artery wall and will cut off the flow of blood to the brain. The area of the artery that is damaged is cause by arteriosclerosis. This form of

Strokes are caused by a block in the blood supply to the brain which causes a decrease in oxygen and delivery of other important supplies which facilitate proper functioning. Fifteen million cases are reported worldwide annually, although not all of these cases are mortalities, the large prevalence of strokes ranks it as the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. (Figueroa) Because of the time sensitivity associated with the lack of resources to the brain, strokes are considered a medical emergency and early recognition of symptoms can help decrease the amount of damage caused . Although strokes do not always cause death, strokes most often leave the individual with some physical and cognitive impairment.

Since strokes are frequently related with old age, symptoms in young adults may be disregarded not only personally, but by doctors as well.

A stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease that affects the cerebral arteries, those blood vessels that carry blood to the brain. A stroke occurs when one of those blood vessels in the brain is obstructed or ruptures flooding the brain with blood. Depriving blood and oxygen to the brain results in those immediate cells death, causing the brain not to function properly. Once parts of the brain stop functioning, it can directly affect the areas of the body controlled (1).

Right side hemisphere strokes effects likely to be seen are paralysis on left side of the body, weak vision, and problems distinguishing basics e.g. tying shoes, buttoning shirts, up, down, left or right and also you can have short term memory. Brain Stem Strokes which are the most uncommon strokes that can happen are at the base of the brain and right above our spinal cord. Some effects after this stroke can give you problems in breathing or heart functions, unbalanced body temperature and body coordination, weakness or paralysis of both arms and legs, difficulty in chewing, swallowing, speaking and poor vision. Any type of stroke whether it is a Brain Stem Stroke or a Ischemic Stroke can be life changing but, after it depends on the progress at the recovery stage which can truly identify the damage and how serious it is. Some risk factors of stroke that you CANNOT change are the increase in your age, gender, family history, ethnicity and the Transient Ischemic Attack (chances of another stroke after a previous stroke). Some treatments that are available to patients with strokes are stroke medications, surgeries and few non surgical procedures. Stroke medications are drugs prescribed to be taken by a administrator some of them are Tissue Plasmogen Activator TPA (given within 3 hours of a stroke caused by a blood clot), clot busters, blood thinners

Ischemic strokes are the most common form of stroke, with around 85% of strokes being of this type. They are caused by the arteries that connect to the brain becoming blocked or narrowed, resulting in ischemia - severely reduced blood flow.

Strokes claim a victim every forty seconds in the world (Mcintosh 1). Strokes happen when the brain is deprived of blood, leading to rapid brain cells start dying rapidly, which causes muscle weakness on one side of the body, speech difficulties, and the drooping of the side of one’s face. Oftentimes, strokes are believed to be unpredictable and unmanageable, however understanding the biology and causes behind them can allow for many prevented and effectively managed strokes (Mcintosh 2).

First I feel that, it is important to understand the clinical manifestation of the different strokes. The Ischemic stroke can cause a wide range of neurologic symptoms depending on the location and the size of the effective area. Patients may present with symptoms, such as, numbness or weakness of the face, arms, legs, more so, one side of the body, changes in moody or behavior, trouble with speaking or understanding speech, visual disturbances, having difficulty in walking, dizziness or loss of balance and sudden server headaches. Hemorrhagic stroke has, also, presents with the same clinical manifestation as a Ischemic stroke, however, most patients complain of server headache.

The effects a stroke all depend on where it occurred in the person’s brain and how severely the brain is damaged. Perhaps, if a person has a minor stroke they could possibly have small problems such as weakening of an arm or leg. On the other hand, those who experience larger strokes may become permanently paralyzed on one side of their body and lose the ability to speak. Although, some people can completely recover from their stroke, more than 2/3 of them suffer from a disability caused by it.

which are seen as a bonus rather than a desired outcome. It seems that most stroke patients must

Metabolic demand on the body after a stroke can be increased, swallowing can be compromised, interfering with nutrition. Wound healing can be impaired due to results of stroke such as mobility, pain, sensory deficits, and changes in cognition. Basically, optimal healing may require assistance to ensure cellular function maintains the nutrition and vascularity aspects needed to function adequately.

A stroke occurs when there is a sudden decrease in blood flow to a localized area in the brain (Trakalo, 2015, p.1234). This can occur in different ways such as a thrombus, an embolus, a stenosis, or a hemorrhage - all of which can cause devastating neurological effects depending on the extent of ischemia and necrosis resulting from the decreased oxygen carried by the blood.

This is all very similar to heart attack, but it occurs whenever a cerebral artery becomes blocked. To break it down, the stroke involves the blood flow through the body, but instead of putting a burden on one’s heart, it affects the brain. The brain is responsible for all voluntary functions of the body such as finger, arm, leg, and toes movements. It is also important for involuntary functions of the body, to include blinking and constant breathing, while awake or asleep. I named these few functions (even though there are millions of functions that our brains perform) to show the importance of the brain. When a stroke occurs it cuts off oxygen and blood supply to the many tissues in the body. Cutting off these functions can cause permanent paralysis or certain parts of the body, loss of motor functions, or it can be

Approximately 15 million people suffer a stroke worldwide each year, of those 5 million die and another 5 million are permanently disabled Mackay et al (2004). Stroke tends to affect people over the age of 75 (Scarborough et al 2009). Since almost 70% of people over 75 retain some teeth (Todd and Laden 1998), maintaining a healthy mouth is important for elderly stroke patients. Not only does effective oral care play a central role in the prevention of infection, a healthy mouth also makes a real difference to a person’s quality of life (McGrath and Bedi 1998) and maintenance of nutritional status (Jones 1998) .For these reasons, this dissertation will examine the benefits of good oral hygiene for elderly stroke patients and nurses role in

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off or when a blood vessel burst. Without oxygen the brain cells begin to die. Which can cause death and temporary or permanent damage to the to the body causing a disability. Symptoms of a stroke can include numbness in the arms, legs, or face, sudden headaches, sudden confusion, sudden trouble talking among other things. It is important to identified the symptoms to help ourselves or others when we think we might be experiencing a stroke. Calling for help when we think a stroke is happening is vital to the survival of the affected person without any injury or disability.