Comprehensive Nursing Assessment,
Acute Management, Rehabilitation, Risk
Factor Identification, Diagnostic
Evaluation, Pharmacologic and Surgical
Interventions, Patient Education,
Psychosocial Support, and Long-Term
Care Strategies for Ischemic,
Hemorrhagic, Thrombotic, Embolic, and
Subarachnoid Stroke Patients Across
Lifespan Exam Questions Verified and
Provided with A+ Graded Rationales
Latest Updated 2026
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
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
d. is used to open a stenosis in a carotid artery with a balloon and stent to restore cerebral
circulation.
c. Rationale: An endarterectomy is a removal of an atherosclerotic plaque, and a plaque in the
carotid artery may impair circulation enough to cause a stroke. A carotid endarterectomy is
performed to prevent a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), as are most other surgical procedures.
An extracranial- intracranial bypass involves cranial surgery to bypass a sclerotic intracranial
artery. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty uses a balloon to compress stenotic areas in the
carotid and vertebrobasilar arteries and often includes inserting a stent to hold the artery open.
The incidence of ischemic stroke in patients with TIAs and other risk factors is reduced with the
administration of a. furosemide (Lasix).
b. lovastatin (Mevacor).
c. daily low-dose aspirin.
d. nimodipine (Nimotop).
c. Rationale: The administration of antiplatelet agents, such as aspirin, dipyridamole
(Persantine), and ticlopidine (Ticlid), reduces the incidence of stroke in those at risk.
Anticoagulants are also used for prevention of embolic strokes but increase the risk for
hemorrhage. Diuretics are not indicated for stroke prevention other than for their role in
Acute Management, Rehabilitation, Risk
Factor Identification, Diagnostic
Evaluation, Pharmacologic and Surgical
Interventions, Patient Education,
Psychosocial Support, and Long-Term
Care Strategies for Ischemic,
Hemorrhagic, Thrombotic, Embolic, and
Subarachnoid Stroke Patients Across
Lifespan Exam Questions Verified and
Provided with A+ Graded Rationales
Latest Updated 2026
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
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
d. is used to open a stenosis in a carotid artery with a balloon and stent to restore cerebral
circulation.
c. Rationale: An endarterectomy is a removal of an atherosclerotic plaque, and a plaque in the
carotid artery may impair circulation enough to cause a stroke. A carotid endarterectomy is
performed to prevent a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), as are most other surgical procedures.
An extracranial- intracranial bypass involves cranial surgery to bypass a sclerotic intracranial
artery. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty uses a balloon to compress stenotic areas in the
carotid and vertebrobasilar arteries and often includes inserting a stent to hold the artery open.
The incidence of ischemic stroke in patients with TIAs and other risk factors is reduced with the
administration of a. furosemide (Lasix).
b. lovastatin (Mevacor).
c. daily low-dose aspirin.
d. nimodipine (Nimotop).
c. Rationale: The administration of antiplatelet agents, such as aspirin, dipyridamole
(Persantine), and ticlopidine (Ticlid), reduces the incidence of stroke in those at risk.
Anticoagulants are also used for prevention of embolic strokes but increase the risk for
hemorrhage. Diuretics are not indicated for stroke prevention other than for their role in
