Cerebrovascular Accidents
Cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs), also commonly referred to as strokes, involve the disruption of blood flow to brain cells, causing brain cell death that can lead to disability. It is critical that healthcare givers and individuals have background knowledge of CVA, risk factors, culture differences, assessment tools, and real-life scenarios associated with CVAs.
Risk Factors and Explanations
Lots of risk factors lead to the development of stroke. Age is an essential factor in developing a stroke since, with age, there are natural vascular changes and resultant accumulated health sequelae. There are cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and atrial fibrillation, which are causative factors for stroke because they increase the risk by facilitating the development of blood clots that can obstruct blood flow to the brain. Diabetes is yet another cause of stroke due to its damage to blood vessels and elevated blood sugar levels. Smoking causes impaired blood vessels and also increases the likelihood of thrombosis. Several health conditions that result in increased blood pressure, diabetes as well as other stroke risk components are associated with obesity (Hoffmann, 2010). Family history also contributes here, for familial predisposition to stroke raises individual risk. Besides, one’s lifestyle, especially diet, particularly a diet rich in unhealthy fats and processed foods, compounded with a lack of physical activity, also increases one’s chances of having a stroke.
Cultural Disparities in Stroke Risk
Certain cultural groups suffer elevated stroke risk affected by various factors. Socio-economic differences play a considerable role because minority communities might face restricted access to health care, healthy foods, and safe surroundings. These difficulties lead to a higher prevalence of chronic diseases in the communities, which in turn raise the general risk of stroke. Language barriers also play a role; the inability to communicate with healthcare providers may lead to delaying timely diagnosis and treatment of stroke risk factors. Moreover, some cultures that obstinately observe their beliefs and practices as described above from such communities make individuals not rush to see medical aid for stroke-related symptoms or even promote habits. These cultural elements highlight the need to consider the social determinants and cultural competence in health care and how they can help mitigate stroke risks in diverse populations.
Scoring Deep Tendon Reflexes
The deep tendon reflexes, or DTRs, are involuntary contractions elicited by percussion during a physical examination, evaluated on an ordinal scale ranging from 0 (absent reflexes) to 4. A zero score would mean there is no response, 1 – a weak and barely perceptible response, and 2 – a normal, excellent, and easily obtainable response. If the score is three, then the response is hyperactive and out of proportion and causes much discomfort, while a score of 4 reflects a clonus sign that continues to show a rhythmic muscle contraction (Burch, 2020). The deviations in DTRs may prove to be signs of neurological problems, such as the damage caused by a stroke. Monitoring these reflexes using the scale facilitates clinical evaluation of neuronal function and neurological dysfunctions that may exist in the person.
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a complication of diabetes mellitus resulting from long-term exposure to high blood glucose levels affecting the nervous system. Typical manifestations include numbness, prickles, or a burning type of pain in the feet and hands. Further, people suffer from the loss of muscle control, the disorder of balance, and the appearance of skin clusters. The condition increases the fall risk and injuries to even increase the complexities of health and life quality with an individual. The broad scope of symptoms that result in diabetic neuropathy powerfully highlights the emphasis on the management of blood sugar levels to prevent the possibility of unwanted side effects on neurological functionality and physical health.
Personal Experience
Despite not having ever been directly affected by the hardships of stroke in my life, my significant connection to medical information allowed me to feel the pain of those who did. The stories of stroke survivors have indelibly nurtured my understanding alike gathered from thousands of case studies and research papers. A significantly moving instance is the life-changing condition of a vivacious young lady whose world came breaking down with a stroke, rendering her both physically and emotionally tormented. To see her fight with new restrictions and the massive deform of her freedom was devastating. The human cost of stroke spans well beyond the clinical aspect, from isolation and discrimination to financial stress on families.
Conclusion
Cerebrovascular accidents are a significant public health problem associated with myriads of risk factors whose many variations affect different populations unevenly. Appreciating these aspects and referring to assessment tools such as DTRs would enable an individual to recognize people who might fall victim and initiate early intervention. We should get rid of cultural obstacles and advocate for healthy lifestyles to ease the stroke burden and improve those living with it.
References
Hoffmann, A., Chockalingam, P., Balint, O. H., Dadashev, A., Dimopoulos, K., Engel, R., … & Oechslin, E. (2010). Cerebrovascular accidents in adult patients with congenital heart disease. Heart-London, 96(15), 1223.
Burch, G. E., Meyers, R., & Abildskov, J. A. (2020). A new electrocardiographic pattern was observed in cerebrovascular accidents. Circulation, 9(5), 719-723.
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