Disorders of Brain Function- Chapter 37

What is the normal range of intracranial pressure?

0-15 mm Hg

A client is brought to the emergency room and is diagnosed with an ischemic stroke confirmed by CT scan. The most important treatment for this client would be to:

administer IV tissue-type plasmin activator (tPA)

What is the most important information to tell a client with a seizure disorder about medications?

antiepileptic medications should never be discontinued abruptly

A client has sustained a severe, diffuse brain injury that resulted in seriously compromised brain function. The client is at greatest risk for:

brain death

A soccer player has been diagnosed with a brain contusion after being injured in a game. The best explanation of the injury by the nurse would be:

bruising on the surface of the brain occurred

What conditions would place a client at risk for hypoxia?

carbon monoxide poisoning increased oxygenation by the lungs severe anemia

A client has developed global ischemia of the brain. The nurse determines this as:

inadequate to meet the metabolic needs of the entire brain

The emergency room doctor suspects a client may have bacterial meningitis. The most important diagnostic test to perform would be:

lumbar puncture

What causes hydrocephalus?

overproduction of cerebrospinal fluid

A child has developed a brain tumor in the walls of the cerebellum. The health care provider would document this as:

pilocytic astrocytomas

The nurse is assessing a client and notes the client is now displaying decerebrate posturing. The position would be documented as:

rigidity of the arms with palms of the hands turned away from the body and with stiffly extended legs and plantar flexion of the feet

Why are early symptoms of alzheimer dementia can be difficult to diagnose in the elderly?

subtle short term memory loss that is difficult to differentiate from normal forgetfulness

The nurse is explaining how vasogenic brain edema occurs to a client's family. The most appropriate information for the nurse to provide would be:

the blood-brain barrier is disrupted, allowing fluid to escape into the extracellular fluid

What is the difference between vascular dementia and alzheimer disease?

the main presenting symptom of vascular dementia is slow psychomotor function

A client reports a single episode of unilateral arm and leg weakness and blurred vision that lasted approximately 45 minutes, the client is most likely experiencing:

transient ischemic attack

A client may be at risk for problems with cerebral blood flow. What is the most important data to assess?

decreased level of oxygen

The CT scan report identified that a client with a skull fracture has developed a hematoma that resulted from a torn artery. The report would be interpreted as:

epidural hematoma

A client with seizures describes feeling confused after experiencing a seizure. The family members report that the client has been smacking his lips prior to having a seizure. The client is most likely experiencing what type of seizure?

focal

What client is at greatest risk for developing alzheimers disease?

a 56 year old with a history of down syndrome

What neuro disease is a client with a history of chronic alcoholism at greatest risk for?

wernick-korsakoff syndrome