NEUROLOGICAL COMPLETED SHADOW
HEALTH EXAM PAPER 2026
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
⩥ What is cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP)? Answer: the pressure
required to get oxygenated blood into the brain to perfuse the cells of the
brain. If it is too low or too high, cerebral edema and increased ICP can
result.
⩥ What is intracranial pressure (ICP)? Answer: the totality of pressures
in the brain: arterial pressures + venous pressures + CSF pressures, etc.
because the cranium is a bony structure, very little increase in pressure
in the brain can be tolerated.
⩥ What is the main culprit that causes an increase in ICP? Answer:
cerebral edema
⩥ What can cause cerebral edema? Answer: ischemia from a blockage of
an artery in the brain (hypoxia), brain tumors, injuries, irritants
(infections, acidosis), hypertension / hypotension, etc.
, ⩥ What is a "brain attack" or a stroke? Answer: the process of any
interruption of the normal blood supply to a part of the brain or the
entire brain, resulting in damaged brain tissue. AKA: stroke, cerebral
vascular accident (CVA)
⩥ What are the most common etiologies of a brain attack? Answer:
atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries or of the incoming arteries
(vertebrals and carotids), hypertension, heart problems that can lead to
not enough cardiac output or blood to the brain, and brain aneurysms.
⩥ What are the risk factors for a brain attack? Answer: atherosclerosis in
any part of the body, hypertension, older age, family history, diabetes,
lifestyle issues (smoking and high fat diets)
⩥ What are the two main types of brain attacks? Answer: ischemic brain
attacks and hemorrhagic brain attacks
(although...actually the negative effects of a stroke come from cerebral
edema and IICP (which are the result of the stroke)...no matter what type
of stroke it is.)
⩥ How do you know what type of stroke it is or what treatment is best?
Answer: You can't tell from the patient's symptoms...you must have a CT
scan (or an MRI) to be able to tell if it is a hemorrhagic or ischemic
stroke.
HEALTH EXAM PAPER 2026
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
⩥ What is cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP)? Answer: the pressure
required to get oxygenated blood into the brain to perfuse the cells of the
brain. If it is too low or too high, cerebral edema and increased ICP can
result.
⩥ What is intracranial pressure (ICP)? Answer: the totality of pressures
in the brain: arterial pressures + venous pressures + CSF pressures, etc.
because the cranium is a bony structure, very little increase in pressure
in the brain can be tolerated.
⩥ What is the main culprit that causes an increase in ICP? Answer:
cerebral edema
⩥ What can cause cerebral edema? Answer: ischemia from a blockage of
an artery in the brain (hypoxia), brain tumors, injuries, irritants
(infections, acidosis), hypertension / hypotension, etc.
, ⩥ What is a "brain attack" or a stroke? Answer: the process of any
interruption of the normal blood supply to a part of the brain or the
entire brain, resulting in damaged brain tissue. AKA: stroke, cerebral
vascular accident (CVA)
⩥ What are the most common etiologies of a brain attack? Answer:
atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries or of the incoming arteries
(vertebrals and carotids), hypertension, heart problems that can lead to
not enough cardiac output or blood to the brain, and brain aneurysms.
⩥ What are the risk factors for a brain attack? Answer: atherosclerosis in
any part of the body, hypertension, older age, family history, diabetes,
lifestyle issues (smoking and high fat diets)
⩥ What are the two main types of brain attacks? Answer: ischemic brain
attacks and hemorrhagic brain attacks
(although...actually the negative effects of a stroke come from cerebral
edema and IICP (which are the result of the stroke)...no matter what type
of stroke it is.)
⩥ How do you know what type of stroke it is or what treatment is best?
Answer: You can't tell from the patient's symptoms...you must have a CT
scan (or an MRI) to be able to tell if it is a hemorrhagic or ischemic
stroke.
