Stroke Terminology

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Acute Stroke

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Onset of stroke symptoms lasting for a few hours

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Agnosia

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A cognitive disability, inability to acknowledge one side of body or visual field

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Aneurysm

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Weak or thin spot on an artery wall balooned out and filled with blood

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Anoxia

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A state of alnmost no oxygen delivery to a cell, low energy, possible cell death

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Anticoagulants

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A drug therapy used to prevent the formation of blood clots that become lodged in cerebral arteries

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Antiplatelet Agents

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A type of anticoagulant drug therapy that prevents the formation of blood clots, prevents the accumulation of platelets that form blood clots (EX: Aspirin)

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Antithrombotic

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A type of anticoagulant drug therapy that prevents the formation of blood clots by inhibiting coagulating actions (EX: Warafin)

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Aphasia

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Inability to understand or create speech, writing, or language, due to damage in speech centers of the brain

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Apoplexy

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A historical, obsolete term for a cerebral stroke

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Apoptosis

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A form of planned cell death, cell suicide, triggered by genetic signal, irreversible

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Apraxia

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A movement disorder, inability to perform skilled or purposeful voluntary movements, caused by damage in the brain responsible for voluntary movement

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Arteriography

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An X-ray of the carotid artery taken when a special dye is injected into the artery

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Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)

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A congenital disorder characterized by a complex tangled web of arteries and veins

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Atherosclerosis

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A blood vessel disease characterized by deposits of lipid material on inside walls of large-medium sized arteries, thick, hard, brittle, and prone to leaking

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Atrial Fibrillation

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Irregular beating of the left atrium of the heart

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Blood-Brain Barrier

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An elaborate network of supportive brain cells, called glia, surround blood vessels, protect neurons from toxic effects

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Carotid Artery

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An artery, located on either side of the neck, supplied brain with blood

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Carotid Endarectomy

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Surgery used to remove fatty deposits from the carotid arteries

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Central Stroke Pain

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Pain caused by damage to an area in the thalamus, mixture of sensations, heat , cold, burning, tingling, numbness, sharp stabbing pain

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Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF)

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The flow of blood through the arteries that lead to the brain, called cerebrovascular system

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Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

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Clear fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord

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Cerebrovascular Disease

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A reduction in the supply of blood to the brain, narrowing of arteries through the buildup of plaque on inside of walls

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Cholesterol

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A waxy substance, produced naturally in the liver, found in foods

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Clipping

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Surgical procedure for treatment of brain aneurysms, clamping

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Computed Tomography (CT)Scan

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A series of cross-sectional X-rays of the brain and head

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Coumadin

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A commonly used anticoagulant, also known as Warfarin

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Cytokines

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Small, hormone-like proteins released by leukocytes, endothelial cells, promote inflammatory immune response to an injury

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Cytotoxic Edema

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A state of cell compromise involving influx of fluids and toxic chemicals into a cell causing swelling

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Detachable Coil

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A platinum coil inserted into an artery in the thigh, coil is released into the aneurysm creating an immune response

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Duplex Doppler Ultrasound

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A diagnostic imaging technique, image of artery formed by bouncing sound waves off the moving blood, measures the frequency changes

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Dysarthria

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A language disorder, difficulty with speaking or forming words

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Dysphagia

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Trouble eating and swallowing

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Edema

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The swelling of a cell that results from the influx of large amounts of water or fluid into the cell

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Embolic Stroke

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A stroke caused by an embolus

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Embolus

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A free roaming blood clot that usually forms in the heart can travel up to the brain

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Edothelial Wall

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A flat layer of cells that make up the innermost lining of a blood vessel

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Excitatory Amino Acids

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Subset of neurotransmitters, proteins released by one neuron into the space between two neurons, excitatory state

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Extracranial/Intracranial (EC/IC) Bypass

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A type of surgery that restores blood flow to a blood-deprived area of brain by routing a healthy artery

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Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI)

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A type of imaging that measures increases in blood flow within the brain

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Glia

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Also called neuroglia, supportive cells of NS make up BBB, provide nutrients and oxygen Ex: oligodendroglia, astrocytes, and microglia

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Glutamate

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Also known as glutamic acid, an amino acid that acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain

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Hemiparesis

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Weakness on one side of the body

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Hemiplegia

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Paralysis on one side of the body

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Hemorrhagic Stroke

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Sudden bleeding into or around the brain

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Heparin

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A type of anticoagulant

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High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)

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Good cholesterol

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Homeostasis

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A state of equillibrium or balance among fluids

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Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

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Persistently high arterial blood pressure < or = to 140/90

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Hypoxia

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A state of decreased oxygen delivery to a cell

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Incidence

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The extent or frequency of an occurrance, # of specific new events in a given time

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Infarct

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The area of tissue that is dead or dying because of loss of blood supply

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Infarction

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The sudden loss of blood supply to tissue, causing the formation of an infarct

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Interleukines

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A group of cytokines, related proteins secreted by leukocytes and involved in inflammatory immune response of the ischemic cascade

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Intracerebral Hemorrhage

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Occurs when a vessel within the brain leaks blood into the brain

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Ischemia

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A loss of blood flow to tissue, caused by an obstruction of the blood vessel, usually in the form of plaque stenosis or blood clot

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Ischemic Cascade

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A series of events lasting for several hours/ days following the initial ischemia, results in extensive cell death

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Ischemic Penumbra

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Areas of damage, but still living, brain cells arranged in a patchwork pattern around areas of dead brain cells

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Ischemic Stroke

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Ischemia in the tissues of the brain

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Lacunar Infarction

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Occlusion of small artery, small area of dead brain tissue, called l______, i_______, caused by stenosis of small arteries, called small vessel disease

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Large Vessel Disease

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Stenosis in large arteries of the cerebrovascular system

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Leukocytes

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Blood proteins involved in the inflammatory immune response of the ischemic cascade

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Lipoprotein

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Small globules of cholesterol covered by a layer of protein, produced in the liver

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Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)

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Bad cholesterol

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Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)

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An imaging technique involving injection of dye into the blood vessel, creates an image of flowing blood through vessel

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)Scan

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A type of imaging involving the use of magnetic fields to detect subtle changes in the water content of tissues

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Mitochondria

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The energy producing organelles of the cell

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Mitral Annular Calcification

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A disease of the mitral valve of the heart

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Mitral Valve Stenosis

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A disease of the mitral heart valve involving the buildup of plaque-like material on or around the valve

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Necrosis

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A form of cell death, resulting from anoxia, trauma, release of toxic material, poisoning the surroundinng cells

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Neuron

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The main functional cell of the brain and NS, consists of cell body, an axon, and dendrites

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Neroprotective Agents

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Medications that protect the brain from secondary injury caused by stroke

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Oxygen Free Radicals

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Toxic chemicals released during the process of cellular respiration and released in excessive amounts

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Plaque

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Fatty cholesterol deposits found along the inside of the artery walls, leads to atherosclerosis and stenosis

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Plasticity

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The ability to be formed or molded, the brain ability to adapt to deficits and injury

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Platelets

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Structures found in the blood that are primarily blood coagulationn

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Prevalence

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The # of cases of a disease in a population at any given point in time

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Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator (rt-PA)

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Genrtically engineered form of t-PA, thrombolytic, anti-clotting substance made naturally by the body

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Small Vessel Disease

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A cerebrovascular disease defined by stenosis in small arteries of the brain

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Stenosis

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Narrowing of an artery due to the buildup of plaque on the inside walls of the artery

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Stroke Belt

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The area of the southeastern United States with the highest stroke mortality rate in the country

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Stroke Buckle

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Three southeastern states, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia that have extremely high stroke mortality

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Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

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Bleeding within the meninges, or outer membranes

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Thrombolytics

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Drugs used to treat an ongoing, ischemic stroke by dissolving blood clot causing the stroke , thereby restoring blood flow

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Thrombosis

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The formation of a blood clot

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Thrombotic Stroke

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A stroke caused by a thrombosis

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Tissue Necrosis Factors

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Chemicals released by leukocytes and other cells that cause secondary cell death during the inflammatory immune response associated with ischemic cascade

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Total Serum Cholesterol

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Combined measurement of a person's high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density (LDL)

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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

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A small magnetic current delivered to an area of the brain to promote plasticity and healing

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Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

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A short-lived stroke that lasts a few minutes/ to 24 hours, called mini-strokes

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Vasodilators

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Medications that increase blood flow to the brain by expanding or dilating blood vessels

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Vasospasms

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A dangerous side effect of subarachnoid hemorrhage, blood vessels constrict erractically, cutting off blood

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Vertebral Artery

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Artery on either side of the neck

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Warfarin

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A commonly used anticoagulant, also known as Coumadin (blood thinner)