Compare and contrast hypoxia and ischemia. What condition is more dangerous to the brain? Explain your answer.

Compare and contrast hypoxia and ischemia. What condition is more dangerous to the brain? Explain your answer.

Hypoxia and Ischemia are both critical issues, especially when it comes to the brain. The brain accounts for 20% of the body’s oxygen consumption. Hypoxia is when there is a decrease in oxygen circulation when there is no interruption in the maintained blood perfusion.  It is a disruption in the delivery of the oxygen (Norris, 2019). Ischemia is an interference in the oxygen delivery, glucose delivery and the removal of metabolic wastes. Ischemia is usually due to a blockage from medical conditions such as blood clots, embolisms, or atherosclerosis. When oxygen is cut off to parts or all the brain, the areas that are not perfusing begin to encounter cellular death. The more severe ischemia is or depending how prolonged it is, could cause permanent cell death. When comparing hypoxia and ischemia, both conditions can be dangerous depending on the seriousness and extent of the condition. The specific organ affected would also determine how dangerous the condition.  Both hypoxia and ischemia require immediate medical attention to best reduce the complications and damage that may occur (Norris, 2019).

Knowing what you do about the effects of ischemia on the brain, why would someone with ischemic stroke develop cerebral edema?

When the is reperfusion of injured cells, there is a secondary brain injury that is caused. This secondary brain injury is caused by the delivery of inflammatory cells. While damaged cells die, they can attract water into cells which causes them to swell. The death of the cells also causes disruptions in the normal flow of fluid shifts in the brain. The inflammatory response can make permeability go up also allowing shifts in fluids causing cerebral edema (Norris, 2019).

What type of aphasia was Bonnie exhibiting when talking to her caregivers? Explain your answer.

Aphasia occurs when an individual suffers brain damage that affects the left hemisphere of the brain and communication is lost. There are difficulties speaking and understanding. Individuals can experience deficits in writing, reading, speaking, and non-verbal communication (Preetha & Perumal, 2022). Bonnie can understand what is being communicated to her; however, she is unable to articulate her words. Bonnie knows what she wants to say, she is just experiencing difficulties in saying what she wants. This is due to the damage her brain occurred during her stroke. This type of aphasia is known as expressive aphasia.