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Glossary
Glossary of Stroke Terms
acute stroke – a stage of stroke starting at the onset of symptoms that lasts for a few hours thereafter
agnosia – impairment of ability to recognize, or comprehend the meaning of, various sensory stimuli (e.g. finger, color, visual, tactile, position, visual-spatial agnosia)
agraphia – inability to write
alexia – inability to read
aneurysm – a weak spot in the artery wall that balloons out
aneurysm clipping – a surgical procedure for treatment of brain aneurysms, involving clamping an aneurysm from a blood vessel
angiography – an x–ray of vessels after the injection of a radiopaque contrast material
anosognosia – the lack of awareness or denial of disease (e.g. the patient denies anything being wrong with the stroke side)
anticoagulants – drugs used to prevent the formation or growth of blood clots by inhibiting the coagulation actions of the blood protein thrombin; some common anticoagulants include heparin and warfarin
antiplatelet agents – drugs used to prevent the formation or growth of blood clots by inhibiting the accumulation of platelets; some common antiplatelet agents include aspirin, plavix, aggrenox
antithrombotics – a generic term related to either anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents
aphasia – inability to understand or create speech
apoplexy – an old Latin term for stroke defined as “a stroke of God’s hands”
apoptosis – a form of programmed, genetically triggered cell death involving shrinking of the cell and eventual disposal of the internal elements of the cell by the body’s immune system
apraxia – inability to perform skilled or purposeful voluntary movement even though the person is physically able to do it
arrhythmia – an irregular heart beat
arteriography – an x-ray of arteriesafter the injection of a radiopaque contrast material
arteriovenous malformation (AVM) – a congenital disorder characterized by a complex tangled web of arteries and veins
artery – a blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart
aspiration – the act of inhaling solid or liquid materials into the lungs
aspiration pneumonia – chest infection (pneumonia)resulting from the inhalation of foreign material, usually food particles or vomit, into the bronchi; pneumonia developing secondary to the presence in the airways of fluid, blood, saliva, or gastric contents
asteriognosis – inability to identify an object by touch
ataxia – lack of coordination, unsteadiness
atheroma – fatty cholesterol deposits inside of artery walls (synonym – plaque)
atherosclerosis – a disease of arteries characterised by deposits of lipid material which make the artery hard, thick (narrow) and brittle (atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis are often used interchangeably)
atrial fibrillation – irregular beating of the left atrium, or left upper chamber, of the heart
bilateral – both sides of the body
blood-brain barrier –an elaborate meshwork that surrounds blood vessels and capillaries in the brain and regulates which elements of the blood can pass through to the neurons
brainstem – the stem-like, lower part of the brain that connects the brain’s right and left hemispheres with the spinal cord
brainstem stroke – a stroke thatthat strikesthe brainstem
capillaries – tiny blood vessels whose wall consists of endothelium and its basement membrane
cardiac – relating to the heart
cardiovascular – relating to the heart and blood vessels
caregivers – individuals (typically family members or friends) who provide unpaid assistance to see that the physical, psychological, and/or social needs of another person are met
carotid artery – an artery, located on either side of the neck, that carries blood to the brain
carotid endarterectomy – the operation to remove atheroma from the narrowed carotid artery (usually the internal carotid artery)
carotid stenosis – narrowing of the carotid artery
catheter – a medical device (tube) used to control urinary incontinence using a receptacle bag
central pain – pain caused by damage to an area in the mid-brain called thalamus
cerebellar stroke – a stroke that strikes the cerebellum
cerebellum – the part of the brain at the back which is responsible for coordinating voluntary muscle movements
cerebral – relating to the brain
cerebral blood flow (CBF) – the flow of blood through the arteries that lead to the brain
cerebral cortex – the outer layer of the brain
cerebral infarct – an area where brain cells have died (synonym – ischaemic stroke)
cerebral haemorrhage – bleeding into the brain tissue (intracerebral haemorrhage) or into surrounding areas (subarachnoid haemorrhage)
cerebral oedema – swelling of the brain
cerebral hemisphere – one of the two halves of the brain
cerebral thrombosis – the closing off of an artery in the brain by blood clotting
cerebrovascular accident(CVA) – an old term used for stroke (the term is falling into disuse because stroke is no longer viewed as an accident)
cerebrovascular disease (CVD) – encompasses all abnormalities in the brain resulting from pathologies of its blood vessels (narrowing, blockage)
cholesterol – a waxy substance, produced naturally by the liver and also found in foods, that circulates in the blood
cognition – higher intellectual (mental) functioningassociated with thinking, learning, perception, and memory
cognitive impairment – a deficiency in a person’s short or long term memory, orientation as to place, person and time, thinking and judgment
coma – a state of deep unconsciousness when the person is not responsive or able to be aroused
compensation – the ability of a person with impairments from stroke to perform a task (or tasks) either using the impaired limb with an adapted approach or using the unaffected limb to perform the task
confabulation – filling gaps in memory with imagined events
continence – the ability to control urinary bladder and bowel functions
contracture – static muscle shortening so that the muscle cannot be lengthened and loss of motion of the adjacent joint occurs
contralateral – the opposite side of the body
coordination- the harmonious working together of several muscles or muscle groups in the execution of complex movements
computed tomography (CT) scan – a series of cross-sectional x-rays of the brain and head; also called computerized axial tomography (CAT)
dementia – loss of intellectual ability (e.g. vocabulary, abstract thinking, judgment, memory loss, physical coordination) that interfere with daily activities
depression – a reversible psychiatric disorder characterized by an inability to concentrate, difficulty sleeping, feeling of hopelessness, fatigue, the “blues”, and guilt
diplopia – double vision
duplex carotid scan – an ultrasound scan of the carotid arteries in the neck
dysarthria – a motor disorder of the tongue, mouth, jaw or voice-box resulting in difficulty in producing speech
dyslipidaemia – abnormality in blood lipids
dyslexia – difficulty with reading
dysphagia – inability or difficulty with swallowing
dysphasia – difficulty withunderstanding or creating speech
dysphonia – impairment of the voice
dyspraxia – difficulty with performing skilled or purposeful voluntary movement even though the person is physically able to do it
echocardiogram – ultrasound scan of the heart
electrocardiogram (ECG) – a test that measures electric activity and rhythm of the heart
electroencephalogram (EEG) – a test used to record electrical activity in the brain by placing electrodes on the scalp
embolic stroke – a stroke caused by an embolus
embolism – blockage of a blood vessel by an embolus
embolus – a clot of the blood that travels in the bloodstream
emotional lability – a condition in which the mood of the person swings rapidly (unreasonably) from one state to another (such as laughing, crying or anger)
enteral feeding – feeding using a tube connecting with the stomach
epidemiology – the study of factors that influences the frequency and distribution of a disease in a population
epilepsy – seizure or fit activity involving parts of or the whole body
extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass – a type of surgery that restores blood flow to a blood-deprived area of brain tissue by rerouting a healthy artery in the scalp to the area of brain tissue affected by a blocked/narrowed artery
flaccid – absence of muscle tone, flabby or floppy muscles
gait – manner of walking
geriatrician – a doctor who specializes in the care of the older people, primarily those who are frail and have complex medical and social problems
glia – supportive cells of the nervous system that also play an important role in brain functioning; also called neuroglia
haematoma – a collection of blood forming a definite swelling which compresses and damages the brain around it
haemorrhage – bleeding
haemorrhagic – relating to bleeding
haemorrhagic stroke – bleeding into the brain (intracerebral haemorrhage) or into surrounding areas (subarachnoid haemorrhage)
handicap – reduction in a person's capacity to fulfill a social role as a consequence of disability/impairment
hemianaesthesia – loss of sensation down one side of the body
hemianopia – loss of half the field of vision in each eye
hemiparesis – weakness on one side of the body
hemiplegia – complete loss of movements on one side of the body
hemisphere – one half of the brain (synonym – cerebral hemisphere)
hemispheric stroke – a strokethat strikesone of the brain’s hemisphere
hemi-inattention – ignoring space on the side of the body; sometimes called unilateral neglect
heparin – a type of anticoagulant
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) – a compound consisting of a lipid and a protein that carries cholesterol in the blood and deposits it in the liver; also known as the “good” cholesterol
home care – provides a range of supportive services in the home from intensive medical support to assistance with activities of daily living to housekeeping
homeostasis – a state of equilibrium or balance in the body with respect to various functions and to the chemical compositions of the fluids and tissues
hypertension – abnormally high blood pressure
hypotension – abnormally low blood pressure
impairment – a physical or mental defect at the level of a body system or organ
impotence – inability to obtain or maintain penile erection
incidence – describes the frequency with which cases of a disease occur during a certain period of time in a population
incontinence – inabilityto control urinary bladder (urinary incontinence) or bowel functions (bowel incontinence), or both
infarct or infarction – area of dead or dying tissue
intracerebral haemorrhage – bleeding into the brain
intravenous – in a vein
involuntary – ones that happen without being willed or intended
ischaemia – a loss or reduction of blood flow to tissue
ischaemic cascade – a series of pathophysiological and biochemical events lasting for several hours to several days following initial ischaemia
ischaemic penumbra – area of damaged, but still living, brain cells arranged in a patchwork pattern around areas of dead brain cells
ischaemic stroke- an area where brain cells have died (synonyms – cerebral infarct, cerebral infarction)
lacunar infarction – a small area of dead brain often caused by stenosis or occlusion of the small arteries in the brain (from the French word “lacune” meaning “gap” or “cavity”)
large artery disease – stenosis or occlusion of the carotid arteries, often due to atherosclerosis
lipoprotein – small globules of cholesterol covered by a layer of protein
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) – a compound consisting of a lipid and a protein that carries cholesterol in the blood and deposits the excess along the inside of arterial walls; also known as the “bad” cholesterol
magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) – an imaging technique involving injection ofa radiopaque contrast material into a blood vessel and using magnetic resonance technique to create an image of brain arteries and veins
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan – a type of brain imaging involving the use ofa powerful magnetic field to generate and measure interactions between pulsed magnetic waves and hydrogen nuclei (such as those in water) within the head tissues
monoparesis, monoplegia – weakness, paralysis of one limb only
mortality – describes the number of persons who die during a certain period of time
motor – relating to movement
nasogastric tube – tube put down the nose into the stomach
neuron – the main functional cell of the brain and nervous system, consisting of a cell body, an axon, and dendrites
neuroprotectiveagents – medications that protect the brain from secondary injury
neglect, one-sided – a term sometimes used for lack of awareness to one side
nursing home – a generic term for a skilled nursing facility
oedema – swelling
orthosis- an external orthopaedic appliance, as a brace or splint, that prevents or assists movement of the spine or the limbs
papilloedema – swelling of the optic disc in the eye
paraesthesia- an abnormal sensation, such as of burning, pricking, tickling, or tingling
paralysis – loss of movement
paraparesis, paraplegia – weakness, paralysis of both legs (can happen with bilateral strokes or spinal cord problems)
paraphrasia – producing unintended phrases, words or syllables during speech
paresis – muscle weakness
PEG tube – percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy feeding tube inserted through the abdominal wall into the stomach
perception – the ability to receive, interpret and use information
plague – a mixture of fatty substances, including cholesterol and other lipids, deposited inside of artery walls (synonym – atheroma)
plasticity of the brain – the ability to adapt to deficits and injury when intact brain cells take over functions of damaged cells
platelets – blood cells that are known for their role in blood coagulation
prevalence – the number of cases of a disease in a population at any given point in time
randomised controlled trial – a clinical study in which persons are assigned to the experimental or control group by a random selection procedure
recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) – a genetically engineered form of t-PA, a thrombolytic, anti-clotting substance made naturally by the body
rehabilitation – restoration of the disabled person to the greatest possible independence
rest home – a generic term for a group home, specialised apartment complex or other institution which provides care services where individuals live; sometimes referred to as a private hospital, residential care facility or a care home
small artery disease- a disease of small arteries in the brain, often due to hypertension
stenosis – narrowing
spasm – involuntary contraction of a muscle
spastic paralysis – paralysis withincreased muscle tone and spasmodic contraction of the muscles
spasticity – abnormally increased tone in a muscle
spinal cord- the elongated cylindrical portion of the cerebrospinal axis, or central nervous system, which is contained in the spinal or vertebral canal
stroke – an acute vascular injury of the brain
stroke unit – a hospital facility for management of patients with acute stroke by a multidisciplinary team of specialists
subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) – bleeding between the brain surface and one of the thin layers of tissue that cover the brain
tactile – relating to touch
thrombolytics – drugs that dissolve the blood clot
thrombosis – the formation of a blood clot
thromboembolus – a clot which has traveled in an artery or vein
thrombus – a blood clot
thrombotic stroke – a stroke caused by thrombosis
tinnitus – “ringing” in the ears
tone – the degree of tension in a muscle at rest
total serum cholesterol – a combined measurement of a person’s high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)
t-PA – see “recombinant tissue plasminogen activator”
transient ischaemic attack (TIA) – a short-lived stroke that lasts from a few minutes up to 24 hours; often called a mini-stroke
transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) – a small magnetic current delivered to an area of the brain to promote plasticity and healing
vascular – relating to the blood vessels
vasospasm – spasm of a blood vessel; a dangerous side effect of subarachnoid haemorrhage
vein – a blood vessel that carries blood back to the heart
vertebrobasilar arteries – the two arteries on the back of the neck which supply blood to the brainstem and cerebellum
vertebral artery – an artery on either side of the back of the neck within the bones of the spine and carrying blood to the brain
videofluoroscopy – a video x-ray of swallowing mechanism
visuospatial disorder – inability to recognize or perceive time, distance, areas of space
whanau – the extended family
