Question

Mr. Tom Costa, age 71, had a stroke last year that made his right upper and lower extremities quite weak. He has smoked for 55 years and is obese. He was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes mellitus while he was hospitalized with his stroke. His father died of a heart attack at age 50; his paternal grandfather had a stroke and died a year later after a second stroke. His mother and both of her parents had type 2 diabetes mellitus. Questions: 1. What technical term should be used to describe Mr. Costa’s weak right upper and lower extremities? 2. The lesion that caused his motor dysfunction is located on which side of his brain? 3. Given his history, is it more likely that Mr. Costa had an ischemic or a hemorrhagic stroke? 4. What is a potential relationship between Mr. Costa’s atrial fibrillation and his stroke? 5. What is a potential relationship between Mr. Costa’s other risk factors and his stroke? Mention at least two other risk factors and describe the reason for these factors to increase the risk of stroke.

Answer 1

1. Technical term is PARESIS , it is a muscular weakness with partial paralysis.

2. The lesion is located in the Left side of the brain . Because his right side is partially paralysed. That means the lesion is on left side.

3. He is have HEMORRHAGIC Stroke

4. The atrial fibrillation a common heart rhythm disorder, it can increase the risk of stroke . In atrial fibrillation , the blood can pool in the heart upper chambers and form blood clots. If a blood clot forms in the Left sided upper chamber, it could break free from in heart and travel to the brain cause stroke.

5. Other potential risk factors are,

Mr.Costa have High blood pressure , type 2 diabetes , and a 55 year smoking history, and also he is obese . So these are the highly potential risk factors for stroke.

6. High blood pressure and Diabetes

High blood pressure puts an extra strain on the all blood vessels , this can make a stroke due to a clot .and more likely high blood pressure damages the blood vessels and makes them become stiffer and more narrow.

* Diabetes is a well established risk factor for stroke , it can cause pathologic changes in blood vessels at various locations and can lead to stroke ,if cerebral vessels are directly affected . And mortality rate is higher in case of uncontrolled blood glucose cases.