Skip to ContentGo to accessibility page
OpenStax Logo
Medical-Surgical Nursing

Summary

Medical-Surgical NursingSummary

Summary

15.1 The Cerebrovascular System and Cerebral Vascular Accidents

  • The brain is a complex collection of vasculature and tissues. The brain itself comprises the cerebrum, the brainstem, and the cerebellum. The brain is protected by the skull and the meninges. The cranial nerves are responsible for the sensory and motor functions of the head and neck.
  • Different areas of the brain are perfused by different branches of the circle of Willis (CoW). The functions of brain cells are dependent on perfusion needs.
  • A CVA, or stroke, is an interruption of the blood flow to areas of the brain. Treatment of CVA is targeted at rapidly restoring perfusion needs, since the longer the brain is without proper blood flow, the greater the damage.
  • A CVA can be ischemic (resulting from a vessel occlusion impairing blood flow) or hemorrhagic (resulting from bleeding within the brain impairing blood flow).

15.2 Ischemic Stroke

  • An ischemic stroke results from a thrombus or embolus occluding blood flow in the brain. Ischemic strokes account for 87 percent of strokes.
  • A head CT without contrast is the standard for first diagnosing a stroke. Subsequent imaging and laboratory blood testing will help practitioners determine the cause and treatment.
  • The presentation and treatment of acute ischemic stroke differ from those of hemorrhagic strokes, but the care provided by the nurses and other intradisciplinary care team members is relatively similar.
  • The medical treatments for acute ischemic stroke include administration of IV tPA and thrombectomy.
  • The goals of care focus on saving the brain, minimizing the lasting effects or disability caused by the stroke, and preventing future strokes.

15.3 Hemorrhagic Stroke

  • A hemorrhagic stroke results from bleeding into the brain caused by the rupture of a blood vessel. Hemorrhagic strokes are classified as intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH) or subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAH).
  • A head CT is the standard for first diagnosing a stroke. Subsequent imaging and laboratory blood testing will help practitioners determine the cause and treatment.
  • The presentation of and treatment for hemorrhagic strokes may differ from those of ischemic strokes, but the care provided by the nurses and other interdisciplinary care team members is relatively similar. All methods are focused on patient safety and providing the best possible outcome.
  • The medical treatments for hemorrhagic stroke include hematoma evacuation and craniectomy.
  • The goals of care focus on stopping the bleeding, determining the cause of the bleeding, controlling blood pressure, and monitoring and controlling intracranial pressure.
PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution
Reuse and redistribution of this content in digital or print format:
  • This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's prior written permission.
  • This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License, which means that you can reuse and modify the material only for noncommercial purposes, must attribute OpenStax, and must distribute any derivative works under the same license.
  • Any commercial printing of this textbook, including using a local or custom printer, must be approved by OpenStax, and proper citation provided.
  • OpenStax-copyrighted images, activities, assessments, and similar components of this book are subject to the same licensing – CC-BY-NC-SA. They can be used for noncommercial purposes with attribution. Commercial use requires permission.
  • Permission requests: Anyone who intends to incorporate this content (including text, images, and other components) into large language models, use it in AI offerings, use it commercially (including in print), and/or has questions about another use case is welcome to complete our reuse request form.
Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/medical-surgical-nursing/pages/1-introduction

  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial digital format, then for every page that includes OpenStax content, you must license the derivative work under the same CC-BY-NC-SA license as the original, and include on every digital page view the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/medical-surgical-nursing/pages/1-introduction

Citation information

The information below includes the information needed to generate citations in most major styles (APA, MLA, etc.); you must reformat and organize the information as needed to fit the requirements of the style. Use the information below to generate a citation. We recommend using a citation tool such as this one.

© Jul 23, 2026 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo, and Rice University name, and Rice University logo trademarks, or wordmarks are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.