signs and symptoms
FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call
What are stroke warning signs and symptoms
An interruption of blood flow to the brain by a clot or ruptured vessel
What is a stroke
single most important modifiable risk factor for stroke?
What is blood pressure
Checking the pt's ability to swallow and cough.
What is verifying the pt's ability to maintain his/her airway
Which side would you suspect a patient had a stroke if you saw them displaying impulsivity and quick movements?
What is the right side
Paralysis, speech and language problems, vision loss, behavioral issues, memory loss
What are effects of a stroke
A mini-stroke or warning stroke caused by a temporary clot
What is a transient ischemic attack
Most common type of stroke
What is ischemic
An important vital to check during an initial assessment
What is BG
Symptoms resolve within ___ to ___ hrs and never last longer than ____ hrs with a TIA
What is 1 to 2; 24
A headache
nausea and vomiting
decreased LOC
Hypertension
What are the symptoms of an intracranial hemorrhage
This type of stroke happens when an embolus lodges and occludes a cerebral artery, resulting in infarction and edema of the area supplied by the involved vessel, and many originate in the endocardial layer of the heart
What is embolitic stroke
total loss of comprehension and the use of language or inability to communicate
What is aphasia
Perform only essential procedures on-scene and defer others until transport has been initiated
What is minimized on-scene time
What kind of drugs should NOT be used in patients with hemorrhagic stroke?
What are anticoagulants and platelet inhibitors
Hypertension, cigarette smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, poor diet, obesity, and physical activity
What are controllable risk factors for strokes
Vascular weakness, increased risk of blood clots, heart attack, stroke, tissue and organ damage, blocked arteries are all consequences of
What is hypertension
Many of these types of stroke originate in the endocardial layer of the heart, and because atrial fibrillation may mean that the heart misses beats, causing blood to stagnate and increasing the likelihood of clot formation
What is the tie between atrial fibrillation and embolitic stroke?
From last known well:
0-4 hrs closest facility
4-8 hrs SARMC or SLRMC
Greater than 8 hrs closest facility
What is destination determination
1.maintenance of airway r/t decreased LOC
2. absent gag/swallow reflex
3.maintaining adequate oxygenation
4. avoiding hypoxia and hypercarbia
5, realize need for O2
6. intubation
7.mechanical ventilation might be required
What are some important airway/breathing considerations
Anticoagulants and thrombolytics increase the risk of this type of stroke
What is an intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke
This type of stroke occurs from injury to the blood vessel wall and formation of a blood clot, and occur readily where artherosclerotic plaques have already narrowed blood vessels, accounts for 60% of strokes
What is thrombotic stroke
What is the single most important piece of information from a patient experiencing a stroke?
What is the time of onset
Monitoring airway status and treat accordingly
Obtain 12 lead ECG
Prepare for seizures
What is ALS care
Which side of the brain would result in speech/language aphasias?
What is left brain