Nursing Measures for Patients with Cerebral Infarction

Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
Updated on September 05, 2024
00:00
00:00

The nursing measures for stroke patients vary according to different conditions. During the acute phase, the primary concern is life-threatening infections, while during the recovery and residual stages, the focus is on preventing various complications and risks. The care measures are categorized as follows:

The first is dietary care. Relatives of stroke patients should be reminded that the diet should be light, low in fat, and high in fiber, following the principle of eating small meals frequently. The second is maintaining clear airways, preventing colds, especially tuberculosis, and ensuring that someone watches over the patient at all times.

The third is the prevention of bedsores, assisting and maintaining regular patient turning and moderate activity. The fourth involves preventing burns, bruises, falls, and other injuries by creating a safe and comfortable environment for the patient, ensuring their safety and that there are no hazardous objects in the room.

The fifth is preventing constipation which can be aided by abdominal massage and eating foods high in fiber. The sixth is preventing urinary tract infections, timely changing diapers for those patients who can urinate independently, or ensuring sterile techniques for those with catheters.

The seventh is preventing falls from the bed, especially for those who are restless; installation of bed rails and other safety measures should be considered. The eighth concerns psychological care since many patients tend to become pessimistic and disappointed post-illness. Family members should be caring and provide comfort and encouragement to the patients. The ninth general care measure involves daily oral care with saline solution or brushing teeth every morning and evening, bathing the patient once or twice a week, and daily cleansing of the genital area.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
33sec home-news-image

Brain infarction refers to the condition.

A cerebral infarction, commonly abbreviated, is typically referred to in full as thrombotic cerebral infarction or cerebral thrombosis. The most common cause is the formation of a local thrombus or from distant sites, such as the heart or major blood vessels, causing ischemia, hypoxia, and other disturbances in the cerebral blood supply. This results in localized ischemic necrosis or softening of brain tissue, leading to corresponding neurological deficits and signs.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
32sec home-news-image

How should a stroke and a cold be handled?

It is recommended to actively address a cold in cases of cerebral infarction, as most people with cerebral infarction who also have motor disabilities are predominantly bedridden, making them prone to aspiration pneumonia. If a cold is not managed well and develops into pneumonia, it can further aggravate the condition, potentially worsening the perceived motor disabilities if timely functional rehabilitation is not administered, leading to further progression of the illness.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
46sec home-news-image

How long can one survive after a stroke?

The lifespan after a stroke depends on the location and area of the stroke, the treatment received, and subsequent complications. Some patients with severe acute strokes are at risk of life-threatening conditions, and not everyone survives this acute phase. Those who do survive and enter the recovery and post-effects phases can extend their lifespan by controlling risk factors for stroke, delaying or preventing recurrence. Early rehabilitation, such as acupuncture during the early recovery phase, does not affect the normal lifespan in mild cases. However, recurrent strokes can shorten the lifespan, especially if complications like aspiration pneumonia occur afterward.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tang Bo
Neurology
44sec home-news-image

Do lacunar infarcts fear getting angry?

Lacunar stroke is caused by the occlusion of some small blood vessels in our skull due to pathological changes in the vessel walls after long-term hypertension, diabetes, or other diseases. Therefore, it usually stems from underlying conditions. Although getting angry may trigger a lacunar stroke, it's important to manage emotions as well. However, for lacunar stroke itself, the primary underlying causes are still hypertension, diabetes, and other risk factors. Thus, regardless of the situation, it's essential to avoid sudden and intense emotional changes, as such changes could potentially trigger a lacunar stroke.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
2min 23sec home-news-image

Is a cerebral infarction a stroke?

Brain infarction is a type of stroke, and in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), stroke is categorized as an illness, differentiated as external and internal wind. External wind, as discussed in "Treatise on Cold Pathogenic Diseases," occurs due to external evil invasions, also referred to as the Gui Zhi soup proof. Internal wind belongs to diseases caused by internal injuries, also termed brain stroke or sudden stroke. Commonly, stroke refers to the type caused by internal injuries involving disorders such as the chaos of qi and blood, obstruction of cerebral vessels, or blood overflow in the brain. It is a cerebral neurological disease identified mainly by sudden fainting, hemiplegia, numb limbs, difficult speech, facial distortion, and unilateral numbness. This condition is characterized by a sudden onset, rapid changes, and is akin to the pathogen of wind favoring rapid and multiple changes. The type of stroke discussed here is akin to a brain stroke. Brain infarction refers to the obstruction in a brain artery caused by various emboli such as intracardiac mural thrombi, atherosclerotic plaques, tumor cells, fibrocartilage, or air traveling with the bloodstream. When collateral circulation fails to compensate, it leads to ischemic necrosis of the brain tissue in the supplied area, causing focal neurological deficits. Cerebral hemorrhage, on the other hand, refers to bleeding within the brain tissue not caused by trauma but due to the rupture of intracerebral vessels. Both cerebral hemorrhage and brain infarction often result in varying degrees of motor deficits, cognitive impairments, and speech and swallowing difficulties, collectively referred to in stroke cases. Hence, brain infarction is considered a type of stroke.