Stroke secondary to atherosclerosis

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Central nervous system

Stroke

• Weakness or total inability to move a body part
• Numbness , loss of sensation
• Tingling or other abnormal sensations
• Decreased or loss of vision, which may be partial and/or temporary
• Language difficulties (aphasia)
• Inability to recognize or identify sensory stimuli (agnosia)
• Loss of memory
• Facial paralysis
• Eyelid drooping
• Vertigo (abnormal sensation of movement)
• Loss of coordination
• Swallowing difficulties
• Personality changes
• Mood and emotion changes
• Urinary incontinence (lack of control over bladder)
• Lack of control over the bowels
• Consciousness changes :
  • Sleepiness
  • Stupor  
  • Lethargy
  • Coma  
  • Unconsciousness

Testing is the same as for stroke. Blood tests may show high cholesterol levels.

Other tests and procedures that may be performed include:

• Head CT scan
• Head MRI
• ECG (electrocardiogram)
• Echocardiogram (looks for a cardiac embolus )
• Carotid duplex ( ultrasound )
• Transcranial Doppler (looks at blood vessels inside the brain)

Review Date: 02/20/2007
Reviewed By: Updated by: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy. Previously reviewed by Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. (April 2006)