What does stroke include?

Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
Updated on September 11, 2024
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Stroke, translated from the English word "stroke," refers to rapidly occurring pathological changes. Stroke mainly includes two types of diseases: ischemic cerebrovascular disease and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease, with ischemic cerebrovascular disease being the most common. Ischemic cerebrovascular disease includes large artery atherosclerotic cerebral infarction, small artery occlusive cerebral infarction, as well as cardiogenic cerebral embolism and other causes of cerebral infarction. Hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease mainly includes cerebral hemorrhage caused by hypertension, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and cerebral hemorrhage caused by aneurysms or vascular malformations. The onset of a stroke is very aggressive and can severely threaten the patient's health. Once a stroke is suspected, it is critical to rush to the hospital for appropriate diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis and provide the most suitable treatment plan.

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Rehabilitation nursing for stroke patients

For the rehabilitation and nursing care of stroke patients, first and foremost, we need to monitor the patient's vital signs, food intake, sleep, as well as bowel and bladder function. Secondly, we should pay attention to their psychological state, checking for signs of tension, anxiety, and depressive emotional reactions. Thirdly, we encourage patients to overcome their illness and to establish confidence in their recovery. Fourthly, we guide patients to actively engage in physical function exercises, as well as daily activities such as eating and dressing to practice their daily living skills. Fifthly, we manage proper limb positioning and patient turning, prevent pressure sores, and also prevent a series of complications such as venous thrombosis and urinary tract infections.

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What is a stroke?

Stroke primarily refers to cerebrovascular disease. Acute onset of stroke usually presents with focal neurological deficits, mainly divided into ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. Ischemic stroke, primarily referring to cerebral infarction, occurs due to an interruption in the blood supply to the brain, causing vessel occlusion and resulting in various clinical syndromes. Clinically, it presents rapidly with symptoms such as limb paralysis, slurred speech, and facial drooping. The pathogenesis of ischemic stroke is caused by central arteriosclerosis of large vessels. Additionally, stroke also includes cerebral embolism, mainly referring to atrial fibrillation-induced emboli from wall-attached thrombi, and other foreign bodies causing embolic blockage, leading to necrosis of brain tissue. Stroke also encompasses hemorrhagic stroke, with a typical condition being cerebral hemorrhage, which is due to long-term hypertension causing hyaline degeneration of the small arterial walls, eventually leading to necrosis and rupture with bleeding, resulting in neurological deficits.

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Written by Liu Yan Hao
Neurology
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What are the types of strokes?

The common types of strokes include hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke. Hemorrhagic strokes commonly involve subarachnoid hemorrhage and intracerebral hemorrhage. Subarachnoid hemorrhage often occurs due to the rupture of cerebral aneurysms, causing blood to enter the subarachnoid space. Intracerebral hemorrhage is commonly caused by hypertension leading to the rupture of cerebral blood vessels and subsequent bleeding into the brain parenchyma. Additionally, there is ischemic stroke, commonly presenting as cerebral infarction and cerebral embolism. Cerebral embolism occurs when a blood clot from another part of the body outside the brain, following the blood circulation, blocks a cerebral vessel. Cerebral infarction happens when cerebral arteriosclerosis narrows down to a certain extent, gradually obstructing and forming cerebral infarction. These are the common types of strokes.

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Neurology
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The difference between stroke and cerebral infarction

The difference between stroke and cerebral infarction lies in the scope of stroke, which is broader and includes cerebral infarction. Stroke is divided into hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke. Common types of hemorrhagic stroke include cerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Common types of ischemic stroke include cerebral infarction and cerebral thrombosis. Thus, the scope of stroke is relatively large and includes cerebral infarction. Cerebral infarction occurs when a blockage in the cerebral blood vessels leads to ischemia, edema, and necrosis of the brain tissue in the supplied area, resulting in symptoms of stroke. Additionally, cerebral embolism occurs when an embolus from another part of the body detaches and blocks a brain artery, causing ischemia and necrosis of the brain tissue in the supplied area, also leading to stroke.

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Can a stroke be detected through a physical examination?

Patients who have suffered a stroke can definitely be diagnosed if they undergo a head CT scan or MRI during a physical examination. Stroke is classified into hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, and tumor-induced stroke. A tumor-induced stroke is caused by a tumor, and hemorrhagic stroke includes cerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Ischemic stroke refers to diseases such as cerebral embolism and cerebral infarction. Whether it is a hemorrhagic or ischemic lesion, over time, they tend to form a softening focus. These lesions are difficult to eliminate, and regardless of how many years have passed, these old lesions can still be seen in a head CT scan or MRI. In cases of stroke caused by brain tumors, the changes in size and location of the lesion can also be clearly seen on a head CT scan. Therefore, strokes can be diagnosed during a physical examination of the patients.