Stroke & Risk Factors
A stroke (cerebrovascular accident) occurs when this happens to brain tissue.
When ischemia or hemorrhage is leading to loss of blood supply to part of the brain.
At the bedside, the very first priorities in suspected stroke are often summarized by these three letters.
What are ABC: airway, breathing, and circulation?
ICP stands for this, and changes in it are central to intracranial regulation.
What is intracranial pressure?
This is the most common type of burn injury and is caused by flame, scalds, or contact with hot objects.
What is a thermal burn?
For a small thermal burn (<10% TBSA), initial pre-hospital care involves this simple cooling measure.
Covering the burn with a clean, cool tap-water–dampened towel.
This type of stroke is caused by an artery being blocked, while this type results from bleeding into brain tissue or the subarachnoid space.
What are ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes?
Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body after a stroke is called this.
What is hemiparesis or hemiplegia?
This is the earliest and most sensitive sign of increased ICP.
What is a change in level of consciousness?
Burns caused by strong acids, alkalis, or organic compounds fall into this category.
What are chemical burns?
For large burns (>10% TBSA), cooling with ice is avoided, and immediate assessment instead focuses on these three priorities.
What are airway, breathing, and circulation (ABC)?
Hypertension, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity are examples of this risk-factor group.
What are modifiable stroke risk factors?
Damage to the dominant hemisphere can cause this language deficit, which may affect expression, comprehension, or both.
What is aphasia (expressive, receptive, or global)?
Cushing’s triad includes these three classic findings.
Increased systolic blood pressure with widened pulse pressure, bradycardia, and irregular respirations.
Facial burns, singed nasal hairs, hoarseness, and carbonaceous sputum suggest this serious complication?
What is inhalation injury above the glottis (upper airway injury)?
During the emergent phase of a major burn, the greatest threat to life is this problem caused by massive fluid shifts and increased capillary permeability.
What is hypovolemic shock (with third spacing)?
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) differs from a stroke in these two key ways.
Symptoms are transient (usually <1 hour) and do not cause acute infarction of brain tissue.
Intravenous tPA for ischemic stroke must be administered within this time frame from symptom onset.
Within 4.5 hours of onset of stroke symptoms.
Elevating the head of the bed to about 30 degrees and keeping the head midline helps lower ICP by improving this.
What is cerebral venous drainage or cerebral perfusion?
A superficial partial-thickness burn involves this layer of skin, while a full-thickness burn extends into these deeper tissues.
Superficial partial-thickness involves the epidermis; full-thickness involves dermis and may extend into fat, muscle, or bone.
Reduced blood flow to the kidneys after a major burn can lead to this complication of the urinary system.
What is acute kidney injury (AKI) or renal ischemia leading to failure?
This ischemic stroke is caused by a clot forming in a narrowed vessel, while this one is caused by a clot travelling from elsewhere and lodging in a cerebral artery.
What are thrombotic and embolic strokes?
Immediately after a stroke, patients are kept NPO until this has been formally assessed to prevent a serious complication.
Until their swallow/gag reflex is assessed to prevent aspiration.
A lumbar puncture is contraindicated when ICP is elevated because of this potentially fatal risk.
It can precipitate brain herniation by suddenly changing the pressure gradient.
The “rule of nines” and Lund–Browder chart are tools used to estimate this, expressed as a percentage.
What is the total body surface area (TBSA) burned?
Because burn patients are in a hypermetabolic state with significantly increased energy needs, this type and timing of nutritional support are recommended.
Early, aggressive, high-calorie enteral feeding to support wound healing and reduce complications.