Unit II Case Study
Instructions
Your unit was called to the home of a 72-year-old male, who complained of an inability to speak and left-sided weakness. His family stated, “He was just sitting in his recliner, watching the television when he began having difficulty speaking and lifting his left arm.” His daughter further stated that she did not attempt to stand the patient but instead immediately called 911. She denies any recent illnesses.
Your initial evaluation reveals the patient’s symptoms began approximately 8 minutes prior to your arrival. He has a marked increase in left-sided weakness in his arm and leg. He also has signs of right-sided facial drooping with a right-sided conjugate gaze and marked difficulty speaking. A check for vital signs was completed with a blood pressure of 146/92, a pulse of 116, rate of 20, SpO2-96%, EKG shows sinus tachycardia without ectopy.
Code Stroke is an important process to help decrease nerve damage for patients who have sustained a stroke (cerebral vascular accident or brain attack). Identification and proper treatment of patients in the prehospital setting has shown success in the outcome of patients who have experienced a stroke. For this assignment, discuss the following:
- the possible type of stroke the patient sustained,
- the patient’s neurological findings,
- prehospital emergency treatment for the patient, and
- research concerning pharmacological basis of clot-breaking medications and cerebral angioplasty for successful stroke treatment.
Your final submission must be a minimum of two pages, and you must use a minimum of two outside sources (one of the sources can be your textbook).
Adhere to APA Style when constructing this assignment, including in-text citations and references for all sources that are used. Please note that no abstract is needed.
This formal paper example provided by the CSU Writing Center shows this type of formatting.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: This case study involves a 72-year-old male who experienced sudden onset of left-sided weakness, difficulty speaking, and right-sided facial drooping. As medical professionals, it is important to recognize the symptoms and initiate proper treatment as quickly as possible to decrease nerve damage and improve patient outcomes.
Possible Type of Stroke: Based on the patient’s symptoms, it is likely that he suffered an ischemic stroke, which occurs due to a blockage in a blood vessel supplying the brain. Other types of stroke include hemorrhagic stroke (caused by bleeding in the brain) and transient ischemic attack (TIA) (temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain).
Neurological Findings: The patient presented with left-sided weakness in his arm and leg, right-sided facial drooping, and difficulty speaking. These symptoms suggest that the stroke occurred in the left side of the brain, which controls language and movement on the right side of the body.
Prehospital Emergency Treatment: The prehospital emergency treatment for stroke involves rapid assessment, recognition, and initiation of proper treatment. In this case, the patient should be transported to a hospital with a stroke center as quickly as possible. The goal is to get the patient treated within a specific timeframe (typically within 60 minutes of symptom onset) to increase the chance of recovery.
Research Concerning Clot-Breaking Medications and Cerebral Angioplasty: Clot-breaking medications (thrombolytic therapy) and cerebral angioplasty (mechanical removal of clot) are two treatments that can be used to treat ischemic stroke. Both therapies work to restore blood flow to the affected area of the brain. Research has shown that these treatments can be effective in improving patient outcomes if administered within a certain timeframe. However, there are also potential risks associated with these treatments, and they are not appropriate for every patient.
Conclusion: Ischemic stroke is a medical emergency that requires rapid recognition and treatment. The use of prehospital emergency treatment and clot-busting medications or cerebral angioplasty can significantly improve patient outcomes. As medical professionals, it is important to continue to stay up-to-date on research and advancements in stroke treatment to provide the best care for our patients.
