The commonest cause of brain stroke is - - UPPSC 2023

UPPSC 2023

Medical Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: UPPSC 2023

Explanation

Cerebral infarction is a type of ischemic stroke, which is the most prevalent form of cerebrovascular disease.
It occurs due to the blockage of a blood vessel supplying the brain, most commonly by an embolus or a thrombus.
This blockage leads to ischemia (lack of blood flow) and subsequent death (infarction) of brain tissue.
Ischemic strokes account for approximately 87% of all stroke cases, making cerebral infarction the most common cause.

Option A: A tuberculoma is a space-occupying lesion resulting from a tuberculosis infection in the brain. While it causes neurological symptoms, it is an infectious granuloma, not a primary vascular event like a stroke.
Option B: Neurocysticercosis is a parasitic infection of the brain caused by the larvae of the pork tapeworm. It is a leading cause of adult-onset seizures worldwide, not the most common cause of stroke.
Option C: A stroke is, by definition, a non-traumatic cerebrovascular event. Head injury causes traumatic brain injury (TBI), which is a distinct pathological process involving external mechanical forces.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Etiology and Types of Stroke as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Recognizing the signs of stroke is critical for nurses. The FAST acronym (Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call emergency services) is a key tool for rapid assessment and patient education.
For ischemic stroke (cerebral infarction), time is brain. There is a narrow therapeutic window (typically 3 to 4.5 hours) for administering thrombolytic therapy (like tPA), which can dissolve the clot and restore blood flow.
Nurses play a vital role in the acute stroke team, including monitoring vital signs, performing frequent neurological assessments, and preparing the patient for diagnostic imaging (CT scan) to differentiate between ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question: it asks for the 'commonest cause' of a 'brain stroke'.
Recall the major categories of stroke: ischemic and hemorrhagic.
Access your knowledge about the prevalence of these types. Remember that ischemic strokes are far more common than hemorrhagic strokes.
Evaluate the options. 'Cerebral infarction' is the medical term for tissue death caused by ischemia.
Analyze the other options: Tuberculoma and Neurocysticercosis are infectious/parasitic conditions, and Head Injury is traumatic. These are different categories of neurological disease and not the primary definition or most common cause of a stroke.
Conclude that cerebral infarction, being the outcome of the most common type of stroke (ischemic), is the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Pathology- ROBBINS & COTRAN PATHOLOGIC BASIS OF DISEASE 10TH Ed p. 1251-1253

E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) pp. 587-589, 591-593