The patient has sustained an ischemic stroke involving the left ...

[mcmcdaniel]

The patient has sustained an ischemic stroke involving the left cerebral hemisphere. Which of the following neurologic abnormalities would you expect to see? (Select all that apply.)
 
  a. Aphasia
  b. Left visual field defect
  c. Difficulty balancing his checkbook
  d. Ataxic gait
  e. Somnolence

Question 2

A patient was admitted to the critical care unit with gram-negative sepsis 5 days ago
 
  Today there is continual oozing from his intravenous sites, and ecchymosis of the skin is noted beneath his automatic blood pressure cuff. On his laboratory work, his platelets are normal, and his international normalized ratio is elevated. What other laboratory value would be most valuable in definitively diagnosing the patient's condition?
 
  a. Fibrin split products
  b. D-Dimer level
  c. Bleeding time
  d. White blood cell count

[stanleka1]

Answer to Question 1

A, C
With strokes in the left (dominant) hemisphere, patients may have aphasia; right hemiparesis; right-sided sensory loss; right visual field defect; poor right conjugate gaze; dysarthria; and difficulty in reading, writing, or calculating. With strokes in the right (nondominant) hemisphere, patients may have neglect of the left visual space, left visual field defect, left hemiparesis, left-sided sensory loss, poor left conjugate gaze, extinction of left-sided stimuli, dysarthria, and spatial disorientation. With strokes in the brainstem, cerebellum, and posterior hemisphere, patients may have motor or sensory loss in all four limbs, crossed signs, limb or gait ataxia, dysarthria, disconjugate gaze, nystagmus, amnesia, and bilateral visual field defects.

Answer to Question 2

B
D-Dimers are exclusively indicative of clot degradation and assist in determining the degree of coagulopathy.

[mcmcdaniel]

Correct answers!

[stanleka1]

Great! Please up vote