Stroke Awareness Quiz

Stroke and its Types, Risk Factors, and Complications

• Stroke is the leading cause of disability.
• Two types of stroke are ischemic and hemorrhagic.
• Nonmodifiable risk factors for stroke include age, gender, race, ethnicity, and history of stroke.
• Modifiable risk factors for stroke include medical conditions and behaviors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity.
• Ischemic stroke occurs when oxygenated blood to the brain is blocked, with thrombotic and embolic being the two subtypes.
• Ischemia-induced edema formation and inflammatory cascades contribute to the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke.
• Hemorrhagic stroke occurs due to the dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), leading to mortality after tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) treatment.
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a brief episode of neurological dysfunction without acute infarction, with clinical manifestations linked to specific cerebral arteries.
• Ischemic penumbra refers to reversible ischemic changes in the brain, while the ischemic core involves irreversible cell death.
• Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke due to the ineffective function of the left atrium, leading to clot formation and embolization.
• Primary prevention of stroke involves controlling blood pressure, smoking cessation, anticoagulation, aspirin and statin therapy, and other lifestyle modifications.
• Hemorrhagic stroke can be intracerebral or subarachnoid, with risk factors including hypertension, smoking, alcohol abuse, and certain medical conditions.
• Complications of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) include rebleeding, cerebral vasospasm, seizures, and non-neurologic complications such as cardiac ischemia and hyponatremia.