CEREBROVASCULAR
ACCIDENT
Group 21
Aaliyah Stoddart
Amelia Stone
Anastacia Shaw
Casey Smith
Denae Palmer
Sashae Lawson
Definition
Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is the death of some
brain cells due to lack of oxygen or obstruction by an
embolism or rupture of the cerebral artery (Marks, 2021).
Causes and Risk Factors
Causes
There are two main causes of cerebrovascular accident or stroke:
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A blocked artery known as Ischemic stroke.
A leaking or bursting of a blood vessel known as hemorrhagic stroke (Mayo Clinic,
2021).
Risk Factors
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Age
Hypertension
Atherosclerosis
Smoking and drinking habits
(Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, 2016)
Pathophysiology
Two internal carotid arteries in the front and two vertebral arteries in the back control blood flow to the brain
(Kuriakose & Xiao, 2020).
Hemorrhagic stroke is caused by bleeding or leaky blood vessels, while ischemic stroke is caused by a lack
of blood and oxygen flow to the brain (Kuriakose & Xiao, 2020).
Around 85 percent of stroke victims die from ischemic occlusions, with the remainder dying from intracerebral
hemorrhage (Kuriakose & Xiao, 2020).
In the brain, ischemia occlusion causes thrombotic and embolic situations. The narrowing of veins due to
atherosclerosis, affects blood flow in thrombosis. Plaque buildup will eventually narrow the vascular chamber
and cause clots, resulting in thrombotic stroke. In an embolic stroke reduced blood supply to the brain region
creates an embolism; blood flow to the brain decreases, producing acute stress and premature cell death
(necrosis). Following necrosis, the plasma membrane is disrupted, organelles enlarge and leak cellular
contents into the extracellular environment, and neuronal function is lost (Kuriakose & Xiao, 2020).
Investigation
CVA is an acute disease, so a person may have onset symptoms such as an
headache,dizziness, loss of balance and coordination, just to name a few. So if a
person is experiencing these symptoms do not hesitate to see a doctor.
Upon your visitation to the doctor, a physical examination will be carried out along
with laboratory examination such as :
Echocardiogram, CT Scan and a MRI
The sooner the diagnosis, the sooner treatment can be administer.
General Management
The treatment for CVA is dependent on the type of stroke that the patient has had
whether it be ischemic or hemorrhagic.
Ischemic Stroke includes: Emergency IV medication, emergency endovascular
procedure, carotid endarterectomy and angioplasty and stents.
Hemorrhagic stroke treatment includes: Emergency measure, surgery, surgical
clipping, endovascular embolization, surgical AVM removal and stereotactic
radiosurgery.
(MayoClinic, 2021)
The goal of the treatment is to:
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Stabilize the patient
Support vital functions
Restore the cerebral circulation
Reduce neurological deficits
Prevent the progression of the stroke
Restore the patient to an optimal level of pre-stroke function
(Ellis, M.E. 2018)
Health Education/Prevention/ Risk Reduction
Some stroke risk factors such as age and family history can not be controlled to reduce stroke
however, lifestyle-related factors such as obesity, diabetes, smoking and high blood pressure
can be controlled to reduce one’s risk of being affected by a stroke.
There are a few preventative measures that can be used to prevent a person from being
affected by cerebrovascular accident. These include:
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Maintaining a healthy weight
Exercising regularly;
Eating a balanced meal;
Maintaining blood pressure within the normal range
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Avoid smoking and drinking in moderation
Control diabetes
Limit cholesterol and saturated fat intake.
NB: PREVENTION OF A STROKE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE HAVING A
STROKE INCREASES A PERSON’S RISK OF HAVING ANOTHER.
Scientific Research
Ellis, M.E. 2018
References
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Huether, S. E., McCance, K. L., & Parkinson, C. F. (2011). Study guide for understanding
pathophysiology (5th ed.). Mosby.
Mayo Clinic. (2021, February 9). Stroke. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved November 11, 2021, from
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/symptoms-causes/syc-20350113
Medline plus. (2021, October). Stroke. Stroke | CVA | Cerebrovascular Accident | MedlinePlus
Marks, J. W. (2021, March 6). Definition of cerebrovascular accident. MedicineNet. Medical
Definition of Cerebrovascular accident
Kuriakose, D., & Xiao, Z. (2020, October 15). Pathophysiology and treatment of stroke: Present
status and future perspectives. MDPI. Retrieved November 11, 2021, from
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390%2Fijms21207609
Ellis, M.E. (2018, September 29). Cerebrovascular Accident. Healthline.com. Retrieved
November 6, 2021 from https://www.healthline.com/health/cerebrovascular-accident
Mayo Clinic. (2021, February 9). Stroke. MayoClinic. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from
https://mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350119