Practice Test Geeks(ASC) Advanced Stroke Coordinator Certification Practice Test
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Post-Stroke Complications Management Flashcards

7 cards from real ASC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. Which post-stroke cognitive domain is MOST commonly impaired and often detected earliest using bedside screening tools?

    Answer: Attention and processing speed

    Attention and processing speed deficits are the most prevalent post-stroke cognitive impairments and are sensitively captured by tools like the MoCA and Trail Making Test.

  2. A stroke coordinator notes a patient's oxygen saturation dropping to 88% during sleep on post-stroke day 3. The MOST appropriate next step is:

    Answer: Order overnight polysomnography or oximetry study for sleep apnea evaluation

    Sleep-disordered breathing affects up to 70% of stroke patients; formal sleep study confirms the diagnosis before committing to CPAP therapy.

  3. Pathological crying or laughing (pseudobulbar affect) after stroke is BEST treated with:

    Answer: Dextromethorphan/quinidine (Nuedexta) or SSRIs

    Dextromethorphan/quinidine is FDA-approved for pseudobulbar affect; SSRIs are also effective alternatives for post-stroke emotional incontinence.

  4. A patient is 10 days post-left hemispheric stroke and has difficulty speaking but seems to understand commands. Which complication MOST likely explains this presentation?

    Answer: Broca's aphasia

    Broca's (expressive) aphasia causes non-fluent speech with relatively preserved comprehension, localizing to the left inferior frontal gyrus.

  5. Which rehabilitation approach has STRONGEST evidence for improving upper limb function after stroke?

    Answer: Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT)

    CIMT, which constrains the unaffected limb and forces use of the paretic arm, has strong RCT evidence for meaningful functional improvement in eligible patients.

  6. Post-stroke hypertension management in the chronic phase (>72 hours) aims to reduce SBP to what target to prevent recurrent stroke?

    Answer: <130 mmHg in most patients per current AHA/ASA guidelines

    The 2021 AHA/ASA guidelines recommend a BP target of <130/80 mmHg for most ischemic stroke survivors to reduce recurrence risk.

  7. A post-stroke patient on a rehabilitation unit develops sudden-onset pleuritic chest pain and tachycardia on day 12. Oxygen saturation drops to 92%. What is the MOST likely diagnosis?

    Answer: Pulmonary embolism from DVT

    Stroke patients are at high risk for DVT due to immobility; PE presenting with pleuritic pain, tachycardia, and hypoxia in the second week is a classic post-stroke scenario.