Cerbral Vascular Accident

A Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA), also known as a "stroke" can be minor or even fatal. As a rehab nurse, I often work with patients who have had a stroke. A stroke can be physically disabling or even cognitively disabling, sometimes both. Strokes are emotionally difficult on the patient and even the patients family, as loss of physical and/or cognitive function is discovered. The most common result of a stroke is loss or decrease of physical function to one side of the body. The side of the body that is physically effected by the stroke is opposite to the side of the brain where the stroke has occurred. Complete paralysis of one side of the body is known as "hemiparesis". There are two types of strokes; Hemorrhagic and Ischemic. A Hemorrhagic stroke is caused when there is a bleed in the brain. An Ischemic stroke is caused due to lack of blood flow to a part of the brain. I believe that there needs to be more public education and knowledge available about strokes. I also believe in supporting the Heart & Stroke Foundation because strokes are a problem that is effecting many of us. Any more research that can be done to discover prevention and treatment of strokes is a good thing. Please follow the link to learn more about the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario: http://www.heartandstroke.on.ca/site/c.pvI3IeNWJwE/b.3581583/k.F7E3/Heart_Disease_Stroke_and_Healthy_Living.htm

References:
Corwin, Elizabeth J. (2008). Handbook of Pathophysiology 3rd Edition. The Nervous System. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Heart & Stroke Foundation (2008) Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://www.heartandstroke.on.ca/site/c.pvI3IeNWJwE/b.3581629/k.C936/About_Us.htm