CSD 444- Exam 2 Questions and Answers Already Passed Latest Update 2025-2026
Stroke/ CVA - Answers Stroke is temporary or permanent disturbance of brain function due to
vascular disruptions, caused by either loss of blood supply or bleeding in the brain.
Another more technical term is cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
A stroke has also been called "brain attack"
Symptoms of stroke - Answers abrupt changes
Weakness/numbness on one side of the body
Visual impairment
Difficulty speaking or understanding others' speech
Dizziness or falling
Severe headache, combined with any above symptom
Stroke in the US - Answers 1. Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death in the United States, killing
nearly 130,000 people a year
2. Someone in the U.S. has a stroke about once every 40 seconds
3. About 795,000 people have a stroke every year
4. Stroke kills someone in the U.S. about once every four minutes
5. Over the past 10 years, the death rate from stroke has fallen about 35 percent and the
number of stroke deaths has dropped about 21 percent
6. Stroke is a leading cause of disability
7. Stroke is the leading preventable cause of disability
8. About 185,00 strokes—nearly one of four—are in people who have had a previous stroke
9. Stroke costs the United States an estimated $36.5 billion each year
This total includes the cost of health care services, medications to treat stroke, and missed
days of work
Stroke risks vary by... (3) - Answers Stroke Risk Varies by Race and Ethnicity
The risk of having a stroke varies with race and ethnicity. Risk of having a first stroke is nearly
twice as high for African Americans than for whites. Hispanics' risk for stroke falls between that
of whites and African Americans.
,Stroke Risk Varies by Age
Although stroke risk increases with age, strokes can—and do—occur at any age. In 2009, 34% of
people hospitalized for stroke were younger than 65 years.
Stroke Deaths Vary by Geography
The country's highest death rates from stroke are in the southeastern United States. (think it's
related to diet)
Types of stroke (2) - Answers 1.) Ischemic: a term that means deprived of blood
Blood flow is blocked
AKA "Occlusive stroke"
Call the area of dead cells (the area deprived of blood) an infarct
2.)Hemorrhagic: a term that means caused by bleeding
Bleeding in the brain
80% - 87% of all strokes are ischemic
13%- 20% are hemorrhagic
Cell Death: When a stroke occurs, the blood supply is disrupted, and brain cells are starved of
oxygen, causing cell death in the immediate area.
Infarct: The area of dead cells
Cells usually die within minutes to a few hours after being deprived of oxygen.
ISCHEMIC STROKE (2 types) - Answers (80% - 87%) Lead to cell death
1.Thrombotic (cerebral thrombosis) -an artery is gradually occluded by a plug of material that
,accumulates at a site in the artery
Most cerebral thromboses occur in the large arteries supplying blood to the brain (internal
carotids, vertebrals, and the basilar artery).
2. Embolic strokes - an artery is suddenly occluded by material that moves through the vascular
system and blocks an artery
Thrombotic stroke - Answers The most common problem is narrowing of the arteries in the
neck or head. This is most often caused by atherosclerosis, or gradual cholesterol deposition. If
the arteries become too narrow, blood cells may collect and form blood clots. These blood clots
can block the artery where they are formed (thrombosis)
A thrombosis typically begins in an area of increased turbulence, which means that thromboses
are likely to occur where arteries change direction or divide (at bends and bifurcations).
• Debris in the bloodstream tends to accumulate where arteries bend or divide
• In arteries the debris consists mainly of fatty substances (lipids) which accumulate on the
lining of the artery
• These accumulations are called atherosclerotic plaque
Atherosclerotic Plaque - Answers Over the course of many years, the plaque gradually thickens,
until it may eventually fill the lumen (space within the artery through which the blood travels)
As the size of the lumen decreases (a condition called stenosis), the volume of blood flowing
through the narrowed portion decreases, although its velocity increases. (think of covering part
of a garden hose opening: less gets out but what gets out comes out faster)
Sometimes the plaque in the arterial wall cracks due to the increased velocity of blood flow.
Blood platelets and fibrin (a protein found in the blood) will adhere to the crack, quickening the
pace of clot development.
, The clot may eventually block or occlude the artery, or parts of the clot may break off and
become emboli traveling through the vascular system
The clots eventually occlude smaller vessels downstream from the original clot
Embolic Stroke - Answers In embolic events (cerebral embolism), an artery is occluded by a
fragment of material that travels through the circulatory system until it reaches a blood vessel
smaller than its own diameter and gets stuck, occluding (blocking) the artery
The material in the embolus may be:
• a blood clot that has broken loose from its site of formation
• a fragment of arterial lining
• a piece of atherosclerotic plaque
The most frequent source of emboli are fragments from thromboses in the heart, followed by
fragments of atherosclerotic plaque from an artery.
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) "mini stroke" - Answers Many stroke patients have a history of
transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)
TIA: temporary disruptions of cerebral circulation
Generally, the temporary disruption of circulation will last less than 24 hours and usually less
than 30 minutes.
Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) are characterized by quickly developing episodes of sensory
disturbance, limb weakness, slurred speech, visual complaints, dizziness, confusion, mild
aphasia. These symptoms resolve completely.
What causes TIAs? - Answers • Most TIAs are thought to be caused by small emboli that
temporarily occlude an artery, then break up or dissolve
• TIAs sometimes occur when a stationary thrombus has nearly, but not completely, occluded
an artery
Stroke/ CVA - Answers Stroke is temporary or permanent disturbance of brain function due to
vascular disruptions, caused by either loss of blood supply or bleeding in the brain.
Another more technical term is cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
A stroke has also been called "brain attack"
Symptoms of stroke - Answers abrupt changes
Weakness/numbness on one side of the body
Visual impairment
Difficulty speaking or understanding others' speech
Dizziness or falling
Severe headache, combined with any above symptom
Stroke in the US - Answers 1. Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death in the United States, killing
nearly 130,000 people a year
2. Someone in the U.S. has a stroke about once every 40 seconds
3. About 795,000 people have a stroke every year
4. Stroke kills someone in the U.S. about once every four minutes
5. Over the past 10 years, the death rate from stroke has fallen about 35 percent and the
number of stroke deaths has dropped about 21 percent
6. Stroke is a leading cause of disability
7. Stroke is the leading preventable cause of disability
8. About 185,00 strokes—nearly one of four—are in people who have had a previous stroke
9. Stroke costs the United States an estimated $36.5 billion each year
This total includes the cost of health care services, medications to treat stroke, and missed
days of work
Stroke risks vary by... (3) - Answers Stroke Risk Varies by Race and Ethnicity
The risk of having a stroke varies with race and ethnicity. Risk of having a first stroke is nearly
twice as high for African Americans than for whites. Hispanics' risk for stroke falls between that
of whites and African Americans.
,Stroke Risk Varies by Age
Although stroke risk increases with age, strokes can—and do—occur at any age. In 2009, 34% of
people hospitalized for stroke were younger than 65 years.
Stroke Deaths Vary by Geography
The country's highest death rates from stroke are in the southeastern United States. (think it's
related to diet)
Types of stroke (2) - Answers 1.) Ischemic: a term that means deprived of blood
Blood flow is blocked
AKA "Occlusive stroke"
Call the area of dead cells (the area deprived of blood) an infarct
2.)Hemorrhagic: a term that means caused by bleeding
Bleeding in the brain
80% - 87% of all strokes are ischemic
13%- 20% are hemorrhagic
Cell Death: When a stroke occurs, the blood supply is disrupted, and brain cells are starved of
oxygen, causing cell death in the immediate area.
Infarct: The area of dead cells
Cells usually die within minutes to a few hours after being deprived of oxygen.
ISCHEMIC STROKE (2 types) - Answers (80% - 87%) Lead to cell death
1.Thrombotic (cerebral thrombosis) -an artery is gradually occluded by a plug of material that
,accumulates at a site in the artery
Most cerebral thromboses occur in the large arteries supplying blood to the brain (internal
carotids, vertebrals, and the basilar artery).
2. Embolic strokes - an artery is suddenly occluded by material that moves through the vascular
system and blocks an artery
Thrombotic stroke - Answers The most common problem is narrowing of the arteries in the
neck or head. This is most often caused by atherosclerosis, or gradual cholesterol deposition. If
the arteries become too narrow, blood cells may collect and form blood clots. These blood clots
can block the artery where they are formed (thrombosis)
A thrombosis typically begins in an area of increased turbulence, which means that thromboses
are likely to occur where arteries change direction or divide (at bends and bifurcations).
• Debris in the bloodstream tends to accumulate where arteries bend or divide
• In arteries the debris consists mainly of fatty substances (lipids) which accumulate on the
lining of the artery
• These accumulations are called atherosclerotic plaque
Atherosclerotic Plaque - Answers Over the course of many years, the plaque gradually thickens,
until it may eventually fill the lumen (space within the artery through which the blood travels)
As the size of the lumen decreases (a condition called stenosis), the volume of blood flowing
through the narrowed portion decreases, although its velocity increases. (think of covering part
of a garden hose opening: less gets out but what gets out comes out faster)
Sometimes the plaque in the arterial wall cracks due to the increased velocity of blood flow.
Blood platelets and fibrin (a protein found in the blood) will adhere to the crack, quickening the
pace of clot development.
, The clot may eventually block or occlude the artery, or parts of the clot may break off and
become emboli traveling through the vascular system
The clots eventually occlude smaller vessels downstream from the original clot
Embolic Stroke - Answers In embolic events (cerebral embolism), an artery is occluded by a
fragment of material that travels through the circulatory system until it reaches a blood vessel
smaller than its own diameter and gets stuck, occluding (blocking) the artery
The material in the embolus may be:
• a blood clot that has broken loose from its site of formation
• a fragment of arterial lining
• a piece of atherosclerotic plaque
The most frequent source of emboli are fragments from thromboses in the heart, followed by
fragments of atherosclerotic plaque from an artery.
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) "mini stroke" - Answers Many stroke patients have a history of
transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)
TIA: temporary disruptions of cerebral circulation
Generally, the temporary disruption of circulation will last less than 24 hours and usually less
than 30 minutes.
Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) are characterized by quickly developing episodes of sensory
disturbance, limb weakness, slurred speech, visual complaints, dizziness, confusion, mild
aphasia. These symptoms resolve completely.
What causes TIAs? - Answers • Most TIAs are thought to be caused by small emboli that
temporarily occlude an artery, then break up or dissolve
• TIAs sometimes occur when a stationary thrombus has nearly, but not completely, occluded
an artery
