TPA - ✅✅Tissue Plasminogen Activator.
Can be administered within 3-4.5 hours of the onset of an ischemic stroke.
Contraindicated if recent GI bleeding, hemorrhagic stroke or head trauma within past 3 months or
surgery within past 14 days, arterial puncture within 7 days, seizure at onset, recent MI, PT>15 seconds,
blood glucose <50 or >400, pregnancy.
Warning signs and symptoms - ✅✅Sudden weakness or numbness.
Hemiparesis: one sided weakness.
Hemiplegia: one sided paralysis.
Sudden confusion.
Dysarthria: mech. speech difficulty.
Aphasia: inability to speak.
Dysphasia: difficulty speaking.
Ptosis: droopy eyelid.
Sudden difficulty ambulating.
Ataxia: gait disturbance.
Sudden Severe Headache!!!
Non-Modifiable Risk Factors - ✅✅Age: Doubles every year after 55.
Gender: more common in men.
Ethnicity: Afr. Am., HTN, Obesity, DM.
Hx of prior stroke.
Family Hx.
Modifiable Risk Factors - ✅✅HTN - Most important.
Diabetes.
Heart Diseases - A-fib
, Cigarette smoking: doubles risk.
History of TIA's: can take meds.
High RBC count.
High blood cholesterol & lipids.
Exercise.
Obesity & Diet.
Alcohol & Drug use.
Sleep apnea.
Birth Control Pills with Smoking.
Ischemic Stroke - ✅✅80% of all strokes. Caused by partial or complete occlusion of an artery to part
of the brain that results in the death of brain cells.
Two types:
Thrombocytic.
Embolic.
Thrombocytic Stroke - ✅✅Most common cause of stroke.
Usually occur while asleep or after sleep.
No change in LOC w/in first 24 hours usually.
Occurs in men > women.
The process of clot formation results in a narrowing of the lumen, which blocks the passage of the brood
through the artery.
Embolic stroke - ✅✅Second most common cause.
Sudden onset.
May have headache.
Immediate deficits.
Happens while awake.