Right-Hemispheric Stroke: A Case Study

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.

Alice Palmer has a mild brain tissue damage associated with the ischemic stroke as evidenced by a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15. On the other hand, she has a normal heart rate of 89 beats per minute (HR 89) and a blood pressure of 155/90 mmHg. A blood pressure of 155/90 mmHg is an indication of stage 1 hypertension. Mrs. Alice Palmer is hypertensive because she refused to take medication while she was at home (Grace Meissner, 2011; Fortrat & Gharib, 2016). Further, Mrs. Alice Palmer has a left-sided hemiparesis which indicates damage to the right side of the brain. Left-sided hemiparesis is a weak muscle tone of the left side of the body which leads to faded movement and carrying out self-care activities such as dressing, bathing, and grabbing objects (Fischer et al., 2016). Moreover, damage to the right side of the brain is associated with poor memory since the limbic system is located in that region (Usher & Marriott, 2011). Also, Mrs. Alice had a bilateral visual field deficit because of the mild brain tissue damage associated with the ischemic

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

Some degree of people who have suffered a stroke have problems with forms of weakness on one side of their bodies. This is called hemiparesis, often most common causes are strokes and cerebral palsy, least common is multiple sclerosis, brain tumors and other disease that can affect brain and nervous systems. (Weiss T.C.; 2010)

Given the high risk of severe, debilitating health outcomes imaging a patient with suspected stroke in a timely fashion is paramount. When the timing of the stroke onset is determinable this allows for the appropriate form of treatment to be administrated such as thrombolytic therapies and neurointerventional techniques (González, 2012).

1. Every 40 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke (National Stroke Association, 2014). Some symptoms related with a stroke are headache, blurred vision, trouble speaking, confusion, dizziness and numbness on one side of body. These symptoms are very important to know. Due to how common strokes are it's good to know the warning signs. For every person that dies from stroke, more than 5 times that many will survive, and for them the physical damage it causes can be enormous (National Stroke Association, 2014). Most people who have a stroke are depressed after it's all said and done. They may be paralyzed on one side, have a speech impairment or worse. When you are used to living a certain way and that suddenly changes it can be hard for people to deal with.

The existing, big competition on healthcare market, where the hospital reimbursement depends partially on the patients’ outcome and satisfaction, forces each hospital to stay on the top of newest evidence-based practices (EBP). This standard applies not only to physicians and the treatments they offer, but also to nursing care provided to the patients.

Five participants with acute stroke and unilateral hemiparesis (Age 51 ± 17 years; Height 1.7 ± 0.1m; Weight 81.6 ± 3.6kg; LOS 36 ± 24.6 days; 3 males, 2 females; 2 with right hemiplegia) were recruited for RE gait training during inpatient rehabilitation in conjunction with traditional therapy. Participant inclusion requirements: have a medical clearance, upright standing tolerance (≥30 min), intact skin, physically fit into the device, have joint range of motion within normal functional limits for ambulation, have had stroke with its onset >1 week and 0.05). This may suggest that the RE was limited to rehabilitate muscles during the IDS and swing phases as seen in figures (6-8).

When trying to detect the onset of a stroke, remembering the acronym F.A.S.T. is important (Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911). If stroke symptoms are detected within an individual, they have just a couple hours before it is too late for any preventative treatment options. Unfortunately, the type of stroke cannot be identified except through several tests (physical test, blood test, CT, MRI), which are important because treatments are different for the different types of strokes. It would be hazardous to administer the wrong stroke treatment to an individual having a different kind of stroke. (McIntosh) Seeing the precursors to a stroke and preventing it is not always possible; therefore, the stroke victim may have some damaging effects on their body. Strokes can affect a body in different ways depending on which side the blood clot occurs. If the blood clot occurs in the right side of the brain, the left side of the body and the face will be affected. In addition to paralysis of the body and face, vision problems, memory loss, and quick, inquisitive behavior could result from a blood clot on the right half of the brain. If the clot were to occur in the left side, the right side of the body would suffer speech and language problems, slow behavior, or memory loss. (About Stroke.) Aside from the physical effects of a stroke, a victim might also be affected emotionally undergoing depression, or being unable to control their feelings. (McIntosh) Oftentimes, the outcome of a stroke is irreversible and saddening for everyone

The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood flow or rupture of an artery to the brain. Sudden loss of speech, weakness, or paralysis of one side of the body can be symptoms. A suspected stroke may be confirmed by scanning the brain with special X-ray tests, such as CAT scans. The death rate and level of disability resulting from strokes can be dramatically reduced by immediate and appropriate medical care. Prevention involves minimizing risk factors, such as controlling high blood pressure and diabetes. Abbreviated CVA. Also known as cerebrovascular.

Status post cardioembolic cerebrovascular accident with residuals word finding problems and right upper extremity weakness. Currently, he is possibly having an allergic reaction to Plavix.

Stroke is known as cerebrovascular accident or brain attack. It occurs as a result of sudden impairment of cerebral circulation in one or more blood vessel. This lead to diminish oxygen supply and commonly causes serious damage in the brain tissue (Nettina et al, 2013). Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide and the fourth in the UK (Stroke Association, 2015). Yearly, approximately 152000 people in the UK have a stroke, that represent 11% of all deaths in England and Wales (Hutchinson and Wilson, 2013). For the enormous majority of 67% of stroke survivors in the UK, one of the first difficulties on the path to recovery is swallowing dysfunction (Dworzynski, 2013). 50% of stroke survivors experience dysphagia in the acute phase

Stroke is a severe medical condition and is the number five cause of death and leading cause of serious, long-term disability in America. There are three main kinds of stroke, ischemic which is caused by blood blots, hemorrhagic which is caused by ruptured blood vessels that cause brain bleeding, and transient ischemic attack (TIA) which is a “mini-stroke” caused by a temporary blood clot. It is well-known that brain cells die after a few minutes when they are no longer able to receive nutrients and/or oxygen from the blood or even when there is sudden bleeding in and around the brain. After the brain cells die, the part of the body that they control will no longer be able to function. The signs and symptoms depends on the

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.

As mentioned earlier wherever the stroke occurs in the brain and causes ischemic damage there will be lost of body function coinciding with that location. In this patients case the stroke damaged the left hemisphere. This is evident by the patient paralyzed right side, drooling, along with the loss of verbalization. Other common symptoms of left-sided stroke include memory difficulty. Often this is displayed as = shortened attention spans and difficulty with retaining new learned