MED-SURG, LEWIS, CH 58: STROKE WITH APPROVED
QUESTIONS AND 100% CORRECT ANSWERS |LATEST
EXAM 2026 |ALREADY GRADED A+
In promoting health maintenance for prevention of strokes, the nurse
understands that the highest risk for the most common type of stroke is present
in
a. African Americans.
b. women who smoke.
c. individuals with hypertension and diabetes.
d. those who are obese with high dietary-fat intake - ANSWER - c. Rationale: The
highest risk factors for thrombotic stroke are hypertension and diabetes. African
Americans have a higher risk for stroke than do white persons but probably
because they have a greater incidence of hypertension. Factors such as obesity,
diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol, cigarette smoking, and excessive
alcohol use are also risk factors but carry less risk than hypertension.
A thrombus that develops in a cerebral artery does not always cause a loss of
neurologic function because
a. the body can dissolve atherosclerotic plaques as they form.
b. some tissues of the brain do not require constant blood supply to prevent
damage.
c. circulation through the circle of Willis may provide blood supply to the affected
area of the brain.
d. neurologic deficits occur only when major arteries are occluded by thrombus
formation around an atherosclerotic plaque. - ANSWER - c. Rationale: The
communication between cerebral arteries in the circle of Willis provides a
,collateral circulation, which may maintain circulation to an area of the brain if its
original blood supply is obstructed. All areas of the brain require constant blood
supply, and atherosclerotic plaques are not readily reversed. Neurologic deficits
can result from ischemia caused by many factors.
A patient comes to the emergency department immediately after experiencing
numbness of the face and an inability to speak, but while the patient awaits
examination, the symptoms disappear and the patient requests discharge. The
nurse stresses that it is important for the patient to be evaluated primarily
because
a. the patient has probably experienced an asymptomatic lacunar stroke.
b. the symptoms are likely to return and progress to worsening neurologic deficit
in the next 24 hours.
c. neurologic deficits that are transient occur most often as a result of small
hemorrhages that clot off.
d. the patient has probably experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is
a sign of progressive cerebral vascular disease. - ANSWER - d. Rationale: A
transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a temporary focal loss of neurologic function
caused by ischemia of an area of the brain, usually lasting only about 3 hours. TIAs
may be due to microemboli from heart disease or carotid or cerebral thrombi and
are a warning of progressive disease. Evaluation is necessary to determine the
cause of the neurologic deficit and provide prophylactic treatment if possible.
The neurologic functions that are affected by a stroke are primarily related to
a. the amount of tissue area involved.
b. the rapidity of the onset of symptoms.
c. the brain area perfused by the affected artery.
d. the presence or absence of collateral circulation. - ANSWER - c. Rationale:
Clinical manifestations of altered neurologic function differ, depending primarily
on the specific cerebral artery involved and the area of the brain that is perfused
, by the artery. The degree of impairment depends on rapidity of onset, the size of
the lesion, and the presence of collateral circulation.
A patient is admitted to the hospital with a left hemiplegia. To determine the size
and location and to ascertain whether a stroke is ischemic or hemorrhagic, the
nurse anticipates that the health care provider will request a
a. CT scan.
b. lumbar puncture.
c. cerebral arteriogram.
d. positron emission tomography (PET). - ANSWER - a. Rationale: A CT scan is the
most commonly used
diagnostic test to determine the size and location of the lesion and to
differentiate a thrombotic stroke from a hemorrhagic stroke. Positron emission
tomography (PET) will show the metabolic activity of the brain and provide a
depiction of the extent of tissue damage after a stroke. Lumbar punctures are not
performed routinely because of the chance of increased intracranial pressure
causing herniation. Cerebral arteriograms are invasive and may dislodge an
embolism or cause further hemorrhage; they are performed only when no other
test can provide the needed information.
A carotid endarterectomy is being considered as treatment for a patient who has
had several TIAs. The nurse explains to the patient that this surgery
a. is used to restore blood circulation to the brain following an obstruction of a
cerebral artery.
b. involves intracranial surgery to join a superficial extracranial artery to an
intracranial artery.
c. involves removing an atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery to prevent an
impending stroke.
QUESTIONS AND 100% CORRECT ANSWERS |LATEST
EXAM 2026 |ALREADY GRADED A+
In promoting health maintenance for prevention of strokes, the nurse
understands that the highest risk for the most common type of stroke is present
in
a. African Americans.
b. women who smoke.
c. individuals with hypertension and diabetes.
d. those who are obese with high dietary-fat intake - ANSWER - c. Rationale: The
highest risk factors for thrombotic stroke are hypertension and diabetes. African
Americans have a higher risk for stroke than do white persons but probably
because they have a greater incidence of hypertension. Factors such as obesity,
diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol, cigarette smoking, and excessive
alcohol use are also risk factors but carry less risk than hypertension.
A thrombus that develops in a cerebral artery does not always cause a loss of
neurologic function because
a. the body can dissolve atherosclerotic plaques as they form.
b. some tissues of the brain do not require constant blood supply to prevent
damage.
c. circulation through the circle of Willis may provide blood supply to the affected
area of the brain.
d. neurologic deficits occur only when major arteries are occluded by thrombus
formation around an atherosclerotic plaque. - ANSWER - c. Rationale: The
communication between cerebral arteries in the circle of Willis provides a
,collateral circulation, which may maintain circulation to an area of the brain if its
original blood supply is obstructed. All areas of the brain require constant blood
supply, and atherosclerotic plaques are not readily reversed. Neurologic deficits
can result from ischemia caused by many factors.
A patient comes to the emergency department immediately after experiencing
numbness of the face and an inability to speak, but while the patient awaits
examination, the symptoms disappear and the patient requests discharge. The
nurse stresses that it is important for the patient to be evaluated primarily
because
a. the patient has probably experienced an asymptomatic lacunar stroke.
b. the symptoms are likely to return and progress to worsening neurologic deficit
in the next 24 hours.
c. neurologic deficits that are transient occur most often as a result of small
hemorrhages that clot off.
d. the patient has probably experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is
a sign of progressive cerebral vascular disease. - ANSWER - d. Rationale: A
transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a temporary focal loss of neurologic function
caused by ischemia of an area of the brain, usually lasting only about 3 hours. TIAs
may be due to microemboli from heart disease or carotid or cerebral thrombi and
are a warning of progressive disease. Evaluation is necessary to determine the
cause of the neurologic deficit and provide prophylactic treatment if possible.
The neurologic functions that are affected by a stroke are primarily related to
a. the amount of tissue area involved.
b. the rapidity of the onset of symptoms.
c. the brain area perfused by the affected artery.
d. the presence or absence of collateral circulation. - ANSWER - c. Rationale:
Clinical manifestations of altered neurologic function differ, depending primarily
on the specific cerebral artery involved and the area of the brain that is perfused
, by the artery. The degree of impairment depends on rapidity of onset, the size of
the lesion, and the presence of collateral circulation.
A patient is admitted to the hospital with a left hemiplegia. To determine the size
and location and to ascertain whether a stroke is ischemic or hemorrhagic, the
nurse anticipates that the health care provider will request a
a. CT scan.
b. lumbar puncture.
c. cerebral arteriogram.
d. positron emission tomography (PET). - ANSWER - a. Rationale: A CT scan is the
most commonly used
diagnostic test to determine the size and location of the lesion and to
differentiate a thrombotic stroke from a hemorrhagic stroke. Positron emission
tomography (PET) will show the metabolic activity of the brain and provide a
depiction of the extent of tissue damage after a stroke. Lumbar punctures are not
performed routinely because of the chance of increased intracranial pressure
causing herniation. Cerebral arteriograms are invasive and may dislodge an
embolism or cause further hemorrhage; they are performed only when no other
test can provide the needed information.
A carotid endarterectomy is being considered as treatment for a patient who has
had several TIAs. The nurse explains to the patient that this surgery
a. is used to restore blood circulation to the brain following an obstruction of a
cerebral artery.
b. involves intracranial surgery to join a superficial extracranial artery to an
intracranial artery.
c. involves removing an atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery to prevent an
impending stroke.
