1. Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
Nicole and Megan

2. What happens?
A stroke happens when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack."

3. Types of Strokes
thrombotic stroke - a clot formed in an artery that is already very narrow.
embolic stroke - A clot may break off from another place in the blood vessels of the brain, or from some other part of the body, and travel up to the brain.
Ischemic strokes - caused by clogged arteries. Fat, cholesterol, and other substances collect on the artery walls, forming a sticky substance called plaque.
Hemorrhagic stroke - occurs when a blood vessel in part of the brain becomes weak and bursts open, causing blood to leak into the brain.

4. Symptoms
The symptoms of stroke depend on what part of the brain is damaged. In some cases, a person may not know that he or she has had a stroke.
Symptoms usually develop suddenly and without warning. Or, symptoms may occur on and off for the first day or two. Symptoms are usually most severe when the stroke first happens, but they may slowly get worse.

5. When a stroke occurs in the right hemisphere of the cerebrum, the result may be paralysis on the left side of the body, difficulty reasoning or thinking. A stroke in the left hemisphere can result in paralysis of the right side of the body and may disrupt the ability to speak.
A stroke involving the cerebellum may result in a lack of balance. This can interfere with a person’s ability to walk, talk, eat and perform other self-care tasks.
Brain stem strokes are the most devastating and life threatening. People who survive may remain in a vegetative state or be left with severe impairments.

6. Therapy
An ischemic stroke is caused by a blood clot occluding blood flow to an artery supplying the brain. Definitive therapy is aimed at removing the blockage by breaking the clot down or by removing it mechanically
A rehabilitation team is usually multidisciplinary as it involves staff with different skills working together to help the patient. These include nursing staff, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and usually a physician trained in rehabilitation medicine. Some teams may also include psychologists, social workers, and pharmacists since at least one third of the patients manifest post stroke depression.

7. Pharmacology
Drugs to prevent blood clots: Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant medicines.
Drugs to help with blood pressure: Diuretics, Beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers