Stroke

Question 1

What is the definition of a stroke?

Answer 1

Rapidly developing clinical signs of focal (or global) disturbance of cerebral function, lasting more than 24 hours or leading to death, with no apparent cause other than that of vascular origin.

A stroke is a serious, life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, causing brain cells to die

Question 2

Who provided the definition of stroke used here?

Answer 2

World Health Organization (WHO), 1988.

Question 3

What are the main types of stroke?

Answer 3

Ischaemic and haemorrhagic.

Question 4

What percentage of strokes are ischaemic?

Answer 4

Approximately 80%.

Question 5

What is a thrombotic stroke?

Answer 5

Occlusion of cerebral arteries, often from atherosclerosis, most commonly at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery.

A thrombotic stroke happens when a blood clot forms in a brain artery (usually where fatty plaque has built up), blocking blood flow to part of the brain.

It most often happens where the common carotid artery splits into the internal and external carotid arteries — because plaque tends to collect there.

Question 6

What is an embolic stroke?

Answer 6

Emboli that dislodge from distant sites, travel to the brain, and occlude small arteries.

Question 7

What is a haemorrhagic stroke?

Answer 7

Stroke caused by trauma or defects in the cerebral arteries.

Question 8

What outcomes are associated with haemorrhagic stroke?

Answer 8

15–30% of patients die, 25% die within the first 24 hours, and 40% fail to reach functional ability.