Understanding Cerebrovascular Accident: Causes, Symptoms, and Interventions

Running head: NURSING
NURSING
Name of Student
Name of University
Author note

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Response to question 1:
Referring to the history of Mr. Known - hypertension and hyperglycemia has led to
the development of cerebrovascular accident in the patient.
The subject has been smoking about a pack of cigarettes, on a daily basis, for the last
40 years of his life and high levels of chain smoking has led to causation of hypertension that
in turn has resulted in cerebrovascular accident (CVA) in the patient (Haris, Hari & Faseel,
2018). Moreover, other than this risk behavior of chain smoking, hyperglycemia (that is high
blood glucose level) due to a long standing type 2 diabetes mellitus – has been another risk
factor to his development of cerebrovascular accident. The case is a clear presentation of
hemorrhagic stroke of the left and middle cerebral artery. As for etiology, increased blood
sugar levels due to diabetes mellitus ( in this case, type 2 diabetes mellitus) has a correlation
with the development of hypertension as increased levels of uncontrolled and free glucose in
blood, also leads to increased blood pressure and resultant hypertension (Wu et al., 2017).
Hence, combined etiologies of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, has led to rapture of the
blood vessels in the left cerebrovascular region.
Response to Question 2
The patient has presented with signs of hemorrhagic stroke as the onset of the
symptoms has been rapid and not very gradual. Moreover, the symptoms were very severe
and the patient had a history of hypertension (resulting from diabetes mellitus type 2 and
chain smoking on a daily basis over a period of 40 years). Hypertension generally lead to
hemorrhagic stroke and the report did not mention a gradual onset that is characteristic of the
ischemic stroke. The patient has signs of hemianopia, aphasia (Goldenberg & Randerath,
2015). facial drooping (Bennett et al., 2019). and the overall signs and symptoms presented in
association with the patient history, indicates to a hemorrhagic stroke rather than an ischemic

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stroke. The following table tallies the symptoms of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and
justifies the case study, in accordance with one.
Hemorrhagic stroke Ischemic stroke
Mr Known’s signs and
symptoms
In the patient,
There was right sided hemi-
paralysis or hemiplegia,
hemianopia and loss of
speech
 Hemianopia
(Ghannam, &
Subramanian, (2017).
 Facial drooping
 Aphasia (Kanade,
2018).
The onset was sudden
and severe
 In the Magnetic
Resonance
Imaging scan,
increased density
of middle and left
cerebral artery
was found.
 There was signs
In the patient,
There was right sided
hemiparalysis or hemiplegia,
hemi-anopsia and loss of
speech
• Hemianopia
• Facial drooping
• aphasia

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of edema.
Other signs and symptoms confusion or loss of alertness
nausea and vomiting
loss of consciousness
numbness in an arm or leg
seizures
loss of speech ability or
difficulty in understanding
the speech
sudden onset of severe
headache
changes or loss of vision
loss of balance in the affected
subject
or incoordination
presentation
suddenly becoming very
much unable to move
 Sudden and severe
onset
Stepwise deterioration and
progressive worsening
Waxing and waning
Loss of vision
(One or both eyes involved)
Trouble in walking,
dizziness,
loss of balance,
incoordination
Sudden confusion,
Sudden weakness or
numbness in either side of
the face, in either side of the
arm or either side of the legs
or both legs but usually
involving one side of the
body
 Gradual onset
Diagnosis – hemorrhagic stroke