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Outline: Cerebrovascular Accident

Carlos I. Lopez Camacho

American Military University

BIOL181 Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology

Instructor: Dr. Crossley

December 5, 2021

I. Introduction

A. Topic selection and reason for selecting

My topic of choice is cerebrovascular accident (CVA), commonly referred to as stroke or brain attack. My reason for picking this condition is because I was intrigued by its pervasiveness and wanted to research about it. Stroke is the leading cause of death in the United States, and causes more serious long-term disabilities than any other condition across the globe.

B. Definition of condition

Stroke is a condition that takes place when there is interruption or reduction in blood supply to part of the brain, inhibiting brain tissue from receiving oxygen and nutrients. This happens in two main forms: something blocks the flow of blood or something causes bleeding in the brain (Tadi &Lui, 2020). This lack of oxygen causes brain cells to start dying within minutes.

C. History of stroke

The history of stroke generally comprises of two periods: the early era leading up to 1812 and the subsequent period from 1812 to current times. In early medieval times, stroke remained a conundrum for doctors and was broadly referred to as apoplexy, meaning struck down by violence. Medical definition of the disease emerged in 1812. Medical science has continued to define and explain causes and treatment of stroke.

II. Content Section

A. Statistics

1. Epidemiology

About 800,000 people suffer from stroke annually in the US, with about 76% being first or new strokes (American Heart Association, 2021). It is a leading cause of serious long-term disability and impairs mobility in more than half of stroke survivors aged above 65 (“Stroke: hope through research”, 2021).

2. Risk factors

Stroke can occur at any age, but risk increases in older adults. Risk varies with race and ethnicity, with African Americans being at a greater risk. Some other common risk factors include: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, genetics, physical inactivity, smoking and hypercholesterolemia.

B. Financial costs

1. To patients:

Stroke causes a lot of costs to patients, their families and society in general. Between 2015 and 2018, total stroke-related costs in the US were estimated at $46 billion. It makes patients dependent on their caregivers to carry out daily activities and to aid in normal functioning. It is financially draining to patient, who have to seek therapies long after acute treatment.

2. To family:

It is draining for families of victims as well, as some have to go to the extent of dropping careers to assume the role of caregiver.

3. To society:

Society loses part of its productivity when a stroke patient becomes physically and cognitively impaired.

C. Physiology and etiology

There are two major types of stroke: ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke (“Stroke: hope through research”, 2021). An ischemic stroke takes place when the supply of blood to one or more regions of the brain is suddenly interrupted or cut off because a blood vessel is blocked. Blocked or narrowed blood vessels are either caused by blood clots (thrombotic) or buildup of fatty acids (embolic). Hemorrhagic stroke takes place when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or ruptures, causing bleeding within the brain.

D. 1. Prognosis

Stroke can cause permanent brain damage over minutes to hours, and is thus a medical emergency that requires emergency care (Manners, Steinberg & Shutter, 2017). Acronym FAST is used to portray onset symptoms of stroke: face dropping, arm weakness, speech difficulty and time to call 911.

2. Diagnosis and treatment

Stroke requires medical diagnosis, which includes diagnostic imaging, blood tests and a full physical exam. The treatment modality for ischemic stroke constitutes acute treatment to restore blood flow, post-stroke rehabilitation and prevention. The gold standard treatment is administration of tPA (da Silva & Liberato, 2015). The standard mode of treatment for hemorrhagic stroke is surgery to control the bleeding.

III. Conclusion

Stroke occurs when blood supply in part of the brain is reduced or interrupted, blocking oxygen and nutrients from reaching the brain. It can be classified as either ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Stroke is a medical emergency that requires medical diagnosis and has different treatment modalities depending on the type. Stroke has significant financial burden on patients, families and society.

IV. References

American Heart Association. (2021, January 27). Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2021 Update. AHA/ASA Journals. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000950

da Silva, I. R. F., & Liberato, B. (2015). Patient Safety in Acute Ischemic Stroke. In Neurointensive Care (pp. 157-170). Springer, Cham.

Manners, J., Steinberg, A., & Shutter, L. (2017). Early management of acute cerebrovascular accident. Current opinion in critical care, 23(6), 556-560.

Stroke: Hope through research. (2021, April 23). National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Hope-Through-Research/Stroke-Hope-Through-Research

Tadi, P., & Lui, F. (2020). Acute stroke (cerebrovascular accident). StatPearls. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing.