Cause and treatment of insufficiency in the cerebral circulation.
The term cerebrovascular insufficiency describes reversible attacks of focal cerebral ischaemia affecting patients with extensive extracranial artery disease. The attacks are caused by failure of collateral blood supply and are often related to minor reductions in blood pressure. Characteristic clinical features such as jerking, involuntary movements and loss of vision in response to bright light may allow insufficiency attacks to be distinguished from other varieties of focal cerebral ischaemia. The treatment of patients with cerebral insufficiency aims to increase collateral blood supply by surgical removal of arterial obstruction and by medical therapy to prevent episodes of systemic hypotension.
Ross Russell
R W
RW
Department of Neurology, St. Thomas' Hospital, Queen Square, London, England.
D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery