Stroke by: Katarina Batinjan Mentor: A. Žmegač Horvat

CVA - medical emergency can cause permanent

neurological damage, complications and death

in the western world - second most common cause of death and disability

Risk factors for stroke include: advanced age hypertension *previous stroke diabetes high cholesterol cigarette smoking

Three types:

thromboticembolic ischemichemorrhagic

Thrombotic stroke

ischemic stroke caused by thrombosis

a thrombus (blood clot) usually forms around atherosclerotic plaques

causes occlusion of the vessel

Large vessel disease - atherosclerosis - inflammatory diseases

(Takayasu arteritis, giant cell arteritis, vasculitis...)

Small vessel disease - branches of the circle of

Wilisi, middle cerebral artery ...

What type of anemia can we associate with thrombotic stroke?

Sickle cell anemia

Diagnosis neurological examination

CT scans MRI scansDoppler ultrasoundarteriography

Treatment removing blood clot from the vessel by breaking clot

fast reaction → blood flow

restored → smaller number of brain cells die

How can we break a clot?

thrombectomy - mechanical

thrombolysis – using drugs

Epidemiology

stroke could soon be the most common cause of death worldwide

"stroke belt" in southeastern U S

95% of strokes occur in people age 45+, and two-thirds of strokes occur in the over-65 group

men 1.25 times more likely to suffer strokes than women

previous stroke increases risk of future stroke

How can we prevent stroke?

Primary prevention - stop smoking, exercise...

Secondary prevention - anticoagulation drugs

References

www.wikipedia.org

Medical English handout (Chabner)

www.healthline.com