Stroke- Case Study
Stroke is Australia’s single greatest killer and a leading cause of disability. Stroke is a serious and deadly condition involving cerebral circulation within the brain and can seriously affect a person maintaining a safe environment, communication and mobility as well as other activities of living. The case of Mr Shaw, a 73 year old male admitted to the stroke unit of his local hospital following a left sided ischaemic stroke is presented in this essay. The ischaemic stroke has left Mr Shaw with right sided hemiparesis, neglect of affected limbs, dysphasia and right sided hemianopia. The purpose of this essay is to give an overview of the Pathophysiology of ischaemic stroke and Mr Shaw’s symptoms in order to understand what happens in the brain when an ischaemic stroke occurs. The nursing care required for Mr Shaw will also be discussed as well as the rationale behind it.
Pathophysiology:
Stroke, previously known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is defined as ‘a sudden impairment of cerebral circulation in one or more of the blood vessels supplying the brain. It interrupts or diminishes oxygen supply, causing serious damage or necrosis in brain tissues’ (Pathophysiology made Incredibly Easy 2006). A person suffering a stroke can present one or more of the following symptoms, weakness or numbness or paralysis of the face, arm or leg on either or both sides of the body, difficulty speaking or understanding dizziness, loss of balance or an unexplained fall, loss of vision, sudden blurring or decreased vision in one or both eyes, headache and difficulty swallowing (National Stoke Foundation 2012). There are two types of stroke, haemorrhagic stroke and ischaemic stroke. In the case of Mr Shaw he has experienced a left sided ischaemic stroke. An ischaemic stroke is ‘a cerebrovascular disorder caused by deprivation of blood flow to an area of the brain, generally as a result of thrombosis, embolism or reduced blood pressure’ (Harris, Nagy & Vardaxis 2010).
Pathophysiology:
Stroke, previously known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is defined as ‘a sudden impairment of cerebral circulation in one or more of the blood vessels supplying the brain. It interrupts or diminishes oxygen supply, causing serious damage or necrosis in brain tissues’ (Pathophysiology made Incredibly Easy 2006). A person suffering a stroke can present one or more of the following symptoms, weakness or numbness or paralysis of the face, arm or leg on either or both sides of the body, difficulty speaking or understanding dizziness, loss of balance or an unexplained fall, loss of vision, sudden blurring or decreased vision in one or both eyes, headache and difficulty swallowing (National Stoke Foundation 2012). There are two types of stroke, haemorrhagic stroke and ischaemic stroke. In the case of Mr Shaw he has experienced a left sided ischaemic stroke. An ischaemic stroke is ‘a cerebrovascular disorder caused by deprivation of blood flow to an area of the brain, generally as a result of thrombosis, embolism or reduced blood pressure’ (Harris, Nagy & Vardaxis 2010).