Mental And Social Aspects Of Kevin Who Is Diagnosed With Atrial Fibrillation

     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

This case study discusses the management of a 68 year old male who presented with chest palpitations secondary to rapid atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac arrhythmia with serious complications if not treated correctly. This essay will discuss the initial clinical presentation of the patient and examine the management and outcome of the interventions applied. The significance of atrial fibrillation including its pathophysiology and aetiology will also be discussed.

An ischemic stroke is typically caused by a thrombosis, which is a blood clot or an embolism, when the blood clot detaches and infiltrates the blood stream.

Ischemic stroke is the blockage of blood vessels in the brain as a result of blood clots (thrombi), causing the portions of the brain nourished by the vessel and its tributaries to be starved of nutrients, poisoned, and to eventually die (“Symptoms

A stroke can be generally be defined in two types of categories. The first and most common type of stroke is called ischemic stroke. This occurs when a blood clot (cerebral thrombosis) blocks a blood vessel in the brain. Blood flow beyond the blood clot is then

As mentioned above, strokes are pathophysiological changes. Ischemia which accounts for 87% of all strokes is a decrease or absent circulating blood which deprives neurons of necessary substrates. As there is no storage of glucose in the brain it leaves no opportunity for the chief ingredient for energy substrate and is incapable of anaerobic metabolism (Shah, MD, n.d.). Ischemia is a medical condition diagnosed when tissues do not have a sufficient oxygen supply, therefor resulting in a decrease in ATP energy, leading to necrosis of tissue. Decreased oxygen supply to tissue (ischemia) is caused by a blockage in an artery mainly from an embolism. An embolism is the breakage of an atherosclerosis formed in any coronary arteries. This floats freely in the blood stream, which eventually may plug a major artery in the brain (stroke), heart (MI) or lungs (lung failure). A thrombus occurs when an already

When a blood clot leaves the heart, it may travel to the brain, resulting in an afib stroke. People who have afib are five to seven times more likely to have a stroke than others without the disease. If the blood clot travels to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, kidneys, heart or intestines, other life-threatening problems can occur. Because afib may decrease the heart's ability to pump by as much as 25 percent, combined with a rapid heart rate, afib heart failure may occur if symptoms are sustained over several days.

It is “a sudden loss of function resulting from disruption of the blood supply to a part of a brain” (Hincle & Cheever, 2014). The type of stroke Patient S experienced was assumed to be from hyperlipidemia. An atherosclerotic plaque can form in the large blood vessels in the brain. When the plaque become big enough, it can rupture or a small bit may break off and flow into small arteries, which may block the smaller artery. If the artery is occluded, blood cannot flow to certain parts of the brain and an ischemic stroke can occur. Hypertension is a major risk for strokes as well as atrial fibrillation. These diseases increase the risk of an emboli or plaque

Cerebral blood vessel obstruction may occur due to blood clots less than heartfelt or even in peripheral arteries. Stroke that occurred before the accident, high cholesterol, heart rhythm disorders, diabetes, hypertension, recent surgery or varicose ulcer or thrombosis are favorable factors of the disease. This will be taken into account and make proper treatment to these conditions in order to not reach such an accident.

A 71 year old male patient admitted for tachycardia by his physician, and was diagnosed with new onset atrial fibrillation. He was standing while making breakfast, when suddenly he became light-headed. He made complaints of a “fluttery” feeling in his chest. He said that it felt like “caged birds were trying to get out”. The man was brought to his physician by his wife for an evaluation and the physician recommended an inpatient admission. The patient was alert, but anxious. He was an oriented person, time and place. Patient also had a past medical history of obesity, hypertension, and obstructive sleeping apnea.

        A “cerebrovascular accident” is a term used to define a stroke. When a stroke occurs, blood flow cessates to the brain. If the blood flow cessation prolongs, the brain cannot receive oxygen and nutrients, which may lead to cell death and irreversible damage (Kantor et al., 2005 Stanford Health Care, 2015). The two types of stroke are ischemic and hemorrhagic. During an ischemic stroke, a blood vessel that provides blood to the brain is blocked by a clot. One way an ischemic stroke could happen is from an artery that was narrow initially (thrombotic stroke). Another way is if the clot breaks from another part of the body into the brain (embolic stroke). If there is plaque within the arteries, this  could cause a disruption of blood flow and eventually lead to a clot. If a clot is overfilled, the blood vessel may break open; this is a hemorrhagic stroke  (Kantor, Stanford Health Care, 2015). Other ways a hemorrhagic stroke can occur is through arteriovenous malformation (AVMs) and aneurysms. For a “normal” person, arteries and veins are usually arranged so there is a web of capillaries to regulate the flow of blood. For a person with AVM, his or her arteries and veins are tangled and swollen thus disrupting the blood flow.  An aneurysm is a vessel bulging due to its weak vessel walls. If unnoticed, it could rupture and cause a

As blood pressure rises and “the blood moves with enough force, [it] increases the chances of tearing that plaque loose” and rupturing it (Sapolsky, 2004, p. 45). When a rupture occurs, the material that has become loose, a blood clot known as a thrombus, can pose as much more of a threat to a person’s life than the initial build up of plaque. If the thrombus blocks a coronary vessel then the heart muscle is unable to receive blood that is full of needed oxygen and other essential nutrients, this is known as cardiac ischemia (Steffen, Lecture 11). Ischemia can cause angina and discomfort. Another possible result of a blocked coronary artery is a heart attack, which can lead to death, and if a blood vessel in the brain is clogged then a stoke will occur.

This stagnant blood forms clots that break off and inter the circulation. Atrial Fibrillation is a factor in about 15% of Embolism stroke.The risk of a stroke from atrial fibrillation can be dramatically reduced with daily use of anticoagulant medication.

Thrombolytic therapy is the use of drugs to break up or dissolve blood clots, which are the main cause of both heart attacks and stroke.

A stroke caused by a blocked artery by a blood clot or bursting of a blood vessel because of uncontrolled high blood pressure. There are main three types of the stroke. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks one of the arteries which supply blood to brain. A clot may be caused by fatty deposits (plaque) that build up in arteries and cause reduced blood flow (atherosclerosis) or other artery conditions. (mayo clinic). About 89%, strokes are ischemic strokes. Ischemic stroke includes thrombotic stroke. A thrombotic stroke occurs when a thrombus stuck in one of the arteries that supply blood to the brain. A clot build-up of fatty deposits in arteries. Another type of stroke is called the hemorrhagic stroke. This stroke occurs when a blood vessel leaks or ruptures in the brain. A bold vessel leaks or ruptures from many conditions like uncontrolled high blood pressure or overtreatment with anticoagulants and the weak spot in blood vessel walls. (mayo). Some people experience a mini-stroke it is known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA). A temporary decrease or clot stuck in a vessel in our brain causes TIA. It happens less than five minutes. This stroke does not have any symptom, because the blockage is