Stroke secondary to atherosclerosis

Symptoms:

• weakness or total inability to move a body part
• numbness, loss of sensation
• tingling or other abnormal sensations
• decreased or lost vision, may be partial, may be temporary
• language difficulties (aphasia)
• inability to recognize or identify sensory stimuli (agnosia)
• loss of memory
• facial paralysis
• eyelid drooping
• vertigo (abnormal sensation of movement)
• loss of coordination
• swallowing difficulties
• personality changes
• mood and emotion changes
• urinary incontinence (lack of control over bladder)
• lack of control over the bowels
• consciousness changes:
  • sleepy
  • stuporous, somnolent, lethargic
  • comatose, unconscious

Signs and tests:

Signs of stroke are present. Testing is the same as for stroke. Serum lipids, especially triglycerides and cholesterol, may be high.

Other tests and procedures:

• head CT scan
• head MRI
• ECG (electrocardiogram) may be used to determine underlying heart disorders
• echocardiogram (if the cause is suspected to be cardiac embolus)
• carotid duplex (ultrasound)