CVA stands for which medical event?

• A. Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
• B. Cardio vascular arrest
• C. Cerebral vascular anomaly
• D. Central venous access

Answer: (A)

CVA refers to a sudden disruption of blood flow to the brain, causing an abrupt change in brain function. This is what we commonly call a stroke. The term cerebrovascular accident describes the brain blood vessels being involved in this sudden event, leading to neurological symptoms such as weakness, trouble speaking, facial droop, or confusion.

Why this is the best match: CVA is specifically about the brain’s blood vessels and the acute event that occurs when blood supply is blocked or a vessel ruptures, which is precisely a stroke.

Other options don’t fit: cardiovascular arrest would imply the heart stopping, not a brain event. A cerebral vascular anomaly would be a structural abnormality in brain vessels, not necessarily an acute incident like a stroke. Central venous access is a procedure to place a line for delivering meds, not an event affecting brain blood flow.

So, CVA stands for cerebrovascular accident, i.e., a stroke.