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CVA and TIA |
Cerebrovascular Accident- CVA
A CVA may be haemorrhagic (subarachnoid, cerebral), thrombotic or embolic in origin.
A subarachnoid haemorrhage results from rupture of a Berry aneurysm of the Circle of Subarachnoid haemorrhages tend to affect a younger age group than the other types of CVA and typically patients give a history of a sudden onset of excruciatingly severe headache. The prognosis is poor, but has been improved by surgical and radiological obliteration of the aneurysm.
Hypertension and atherosclerosis are contributory factors to other types of CVA. Typical results of a CVA are a sudden loss of consciousness, hemiplegia (on the opposite side to the cerebral lesion) and there may be a loss of speech or slurred speech when the CVA affects the left side of the brain.
Transient Ischaemic Attack - TIA
¨ TIA's comprise a sudden onset of focal CNS signs or symptoms due to a temporary occlusion of part of the cerebral circulation. ¨ They are frequently associated with partial or complete stenosis of the carotid artery system. ¨ The symptoms resolve in less than 24 hours (usually much more quickly). ¨ They are harbingers of a CVA and the known patient will usually be taking prophylactic aspirin.
REF: British Dental Journal 12 July 2003; Volume 195, No. 1
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