STROKE-VERTEBRAL OR BASILAR ARTERY OCCLUSION

SUMMARY

1. Vertigo lasting < 30min assoc. with nystagmus, no associated hearing loss. If vertigo without nystagmus: consider BPPV.

2. Ipsilateral cranial nerve deficits (particularly lower CN).

3. Crossed signs (contralateral motor & sensory deficits) assoc. with ataxia, dysphagia, dysarthria.

4. There is absence of cortical signs (such as aphasias or cognitive deficits) that would be characteristic of anterior circulation involvement.

Reference(s)

Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].