Silver Age Health: Elderly people should be alert to the risk of stroke in winter

For the elderly, winter is a season that requires extra caution, and the health risk of stroke is like a "killer" hidden in the dark, which may threaten their life and health at any time. Every elderly friend should have a deep understanding of this and take active measures to prevent it.

Why is winter the peak season for stroke?

Cold weather is one of the culprits. When the temperature drops sharply, the body's blood vessels will contract, which is like a wide road that suddenly becomes narrow, and the speed and patency of blood flow will be affected. For the elderly, as they age, the walls of their blood vessels gradually lose their elasticity and become hard and brittle, just like water pipes that have been used for many years and are prone to blockage or rupture. This physiological change makes them more susceptible to stroke under cold stimulation. In addition, people tend to be less active in winter, and sit or lie in bed indoors for a long time, which further slows down blood circulation and increases the risk of thrombosis. In addition to the impact of cold, some bad living habits are also fueling the flames. Many elderly people like to get up early in the morning for morning exercises in winter, but the early morning is often when blood pressure fluctuates greatly, and the stimulation of cold air is like adding fuel to the "time bomb" of high blood pressure. Some elderly people do not pay attention to their diet in winter and like to eat some greasy and salty foods, which can lead to increased blood lipids and unstable blood pressure, creating conditions for the occurrence of stroke.

▏Warning signs of stroke in the elderly

1. Facial asymmetry is a significant warning sign of stroke. Elderly people may wish to observe their faces carefully in the mirror every day. If the facial muscles on one side suddenly become loose, the corners of the mouth droop, and the eyes become crooked, you should not take it lightly. This may be a stroke approaching quietly. Imagine that the face that was originally amiable and smiling with a kind face suddenly becomes so weird. This is an emergency distress signal sent by the body. It reminds us that there may be blood vessel blockage or rupture in the brain, affecting the normal function of the facial nerves. This change may only be momentary, but once it occurs, even if it is just a flash, it should be taken seriously.

2. Limb weakness is also a signal that cannot be ignored. The elderly may suddenly feel that their arms or legs have no strength, as if the source of strength has been taken away. For example, in daily life, a teacup that was originally easy to pick up suddenly becomes unstable; when walking, one leg seems to no longer obey orders and drags forward. This feeling of weakness is often concentrated on one side of the body, which may be the left half or the right half. When this happens, the elderly should realize that this may be the "devil" of stroke. There is a problem with the brain's control over the limbs, just like a precision instrument has a malfunction. If it is not repaired in time, the consequences will be disastrous.

3. Unclear speech is also a warning sign of stroke. Many elderly people may find that they suddenly speak unclearly and their words are inaccurate. Sometimes they want to express a simple meaning, but they can't say it, or what they say is difficult to understand. This is not only a problem of language expression, but also a manifestation of brain damage. The area of ​​the brain responsible for language function is affected, which leads to this situation. Imagine that when chatting with family members, you suddenly can't communicate smoothly. How uncomfortable it would be to feel anxious and helpless. Moreover, this will also bring many inconveniences to daily life, such as being unable to clearly express your needs.

4. Visual changes are also an aspect that needs attention. Some elderly people may suddenly feel that their eyes are dark, their vision is blurred, and they see double images. It is like a layer of gauze covering everything around them, and everything becomes hazy. Other elderly people may have visual field defects, and can only see part of the things, and the other half seems to be blocked by something. The eyes are the windows to the soul. When these abnormal changes in vision occur, it may mean that a stroke has quietly arrived. The part of the brain responsible for visual processing is disturbed, just like the TV signal is disturbed and the picture becomes distorted.

5. Headaches should not be underestimated. This type of headache is not an ordinary headache or fever, but a sudden and severe pain. The pain may be concentrated in a certain part of the head, or it may spread throughout the head. The degree of pain is unbearable, as if countless needles are piercing the head. For the elderly, due to the decline in physical function, this type of headache should be more vigilant. It may be an important indication of cerebrovascular problems, perhaps caused by vascular spasm, or increased intracranial pressure.

▏Prevention strategies for winter stroke in the elderly

1. Health education and publicity First of all, health education and publicity is one of the important means to prevent stroke. Many elderly people often ignore early symptoms due to lack of correct understanding of stroke, resulting in missing the best time for treatment. Therefore, it is particularly important to strengthen health education and help the elderly understand the hazards of stroke and preventive measures.

1. Diversify publicity channels Community health service centers, hospitals and other institutions should popularize stroke-related knowledge to the elderly through multiple channels. In addition to traditional lectures and brochures, new media tools such as WeChat public accounts and short video platforms can also be used to produce vivid popular science videos or illustrated articles to attract the attention of the elderly and their families. In addition, online and offline health consultation activities should be organized regularly, and experts should be invited to answer questions for the elderly to enhance their understanding of stroke.

2. Emphasize the importance of early identification. The elderly and their families should be aware of the common symptoms of stroke, such as sudden weakness on one side, slurred speech, blurred vision, etc., and learn to quickly determine whether immediate medical attention is needed. The FAST principle is a simple and effective memory method: "F" stands for facial asymmetry (Face), observe whether one corner of the patient's mouth droops when the patient smiles; "A" stands for arm weakness (Arm), ask the patient to raise both hands horizontally to see if one arm cannot maintain balance; "S" stands for speech difficulties (Speech), pay attention to whether the patient's pronunciation is unclear; "T" stands for time (Time), if any of the above situations are found, call the emergency number immediately.

3. Promote a healthy lifestyle. In the process of publicity, we should also emphasize the positive role of a healthy lifestyle in preventing stroke. For example, a reasonable diet, moderate exercise, smoking cessation and alcohol restriction, etc., these seemingly simple daily behaviors can effectively reduce the risk of stroke. Through publicity, we can guide the elderly to establish correct health concepts and actively change their unhealthy lifestyles.

2. Lifestyle intervention A healthy lifestyle is the cornerstone of stroke prevention. For the elderly, developing good living habits can not only improve the quality of life, but also reduce the chance of stroke. The following are some specific lifestyle intervention suggestions:

1. Reasonable diet and balanced nutrition. The weather is cold in winter, and the elderly are prone to loss of appetite or excessive tonic, which may lead to nutritional imbalance. It is recommended that the elderly follow the "three lows and one high" diet principle, that is, low salt, low fat, low sugar, and high fiber. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, and consume a moderate amount of high-quality protein, such as fish, poultry, and soy products. Eat less greasy and spicy food and avoid overeating. At the same time, control the daily salt intake to no more than 6 grams to reduce the stimulation of sodium salt on the blood vessel wall, which helps maintain stable blood pressure.

2. Regular work and rest, moderate exercise and adequate sleep are essential for the health of the elderly. Ensuring 7-8 hours of high-quality sleep every day helps regulate the endocrine system and enhance immunity. In addition, moderate exercise is also essential. Although the weather is cold in winter, the elderly should still insist on appropriate outdoor activities, such as walking, Tai Chi, etc. Each exercise time should be about 30 minutes, and the intensity should not be too high to avoid causing physical burden. It should be noted that when going out in cold weather, you must take good warm-keeping measures to prevent colds or other respiratory diseases.

3. Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption, stay away from risk factors. Smoking and excessive drinking are important factors that induce stroke. Nicotine in tobacco can constrict blood vessels and increase blood viscosity; while alcohol can affect the function of the nervous system and cause blood pressure fluctuations. Therefore, the elderly should try to quit smoking. If it is really difficult to quit, they should also strictly control the amount of smoking. As for drinking, it is recommended to drink red wine in moderation, no more than two glasses (about 250 ml) per day for men and no more than one glass (about 125 ml) for women. Of course, it is best to not drink at all.

3. Management of underlying diseases Chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and coronary heart disease are the main risk factors for stroke. For elderly people with these underlying diseases, active management and control of the disease can greatly reduce the risk of stroke.

1. Regular monitoring and timely adjustment of medication Elderly people with chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes should measure blood pressure, blood sugar and other indicators regularly under the guidance of a doctor and pay close attention to changes in their condition. Based on the results of the examination, the doctor may adjust the dosage of the drug or change the treatment plan to ensure that all physiological indicators are within the normal range. At the same time, the elderly should learn to use home blood pressure monitors, blood glucose meters and other equipment correctly so that they can understand their own conditions at any time. It should be noted that you should not increase or decrease the dosage or stop taking the medicine on your own, so as to avoid recurrence or even aggravation of the disease.

2. Take medicine as prescribed by the doctor to prevent complications Taking medicine on time and in the right amount is the key to controlling chronic diseases. The elderly should strictly follow the doctor's prescription and should not change the type or dosage of medicine at will. For some patients who need to take anticoagulants for a long time, they should pay more attention to following the doctor's advice to prevent thrombosis. In addition, regular check-ups are also important. Through blood tests, imaging examinations, etc., the efficacy of drugs can be evaluated and possible complications can be discovered and dealt with in a timely manner.

3. Pay attention to mental health and maintain an optimistic attitude. Chronic diseases not only affect physical health, but also bring psychological pressure to the elderly. Long-term illness may lead to negative emotions such as anxiety and depression, which in turn affects the treatment effect. Therefore, the elderly should learn to self-regulate, maintain an optimistic and cheerful attitude, actively participate in social activities, and communicate more with family and friends. If necessary, you can seek help from professional psychological counselors to relieve mental stress and promote physical and mental health.

4. Optimizing the allocation of medical resources Although personal efforts play an important role in preventing stroke, a sound medical system is also indispensable. By optimizing the allocation of medical resources and providing more convenient and efficient medical services to the elderly, the level of stroke prevention and control can be further improved.

1. Construct a hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system. Construct a reasonable hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system to achieve primary diagnosis, two-way referral, and separation of acute and chronic diseases, so that the elderly can receive continuous medical services between medical institutions at different levels. As a grassroots medical unit, the community health service center undertakes tasks such as initial screening and follow-up, and is responsible for health examinations and chronic disease management for the elderly in the jurisdiction. When encountering complex conditions, the patient is promptly referred to a higher-level hospital for diagnosis and treatment by a specialist. This not only improves the utilization rate of medical resources, but also reduces the pressure on large hospitals.

2. Promote telemedicine technology With the development of information technology, telemedicine has become an effective way to solve the problem of difficulty in seeing a doctor for the elderly in remote areas. Through the Internet platform, primary doctors can conduct real-time video consultations with experts from higher-level hospitals, share medical records, and obtain professional guidance. For the elderly who are unable to move or live far from the hospital, telemedicine undoubtedly provides great convenience. In addition, with the help of smart wearable devices such as smart bracelets and smart blood pressure monitors, the elderly can monitor their health data in real time at home and upload it to the cloud for doctors to refer to and analyze.

3. Strengthen emergency rescue capabilities. Stroke is an acute disease, and rescue time is very precious. In order to improve the efficiency of emergency rescue, all regions should establish and improve emergency networks and equip them with sufficient ambulances, emergency personnel and medical equipment. At the same time, strengthen professional training for emergency personnel to improve their ability to respond to emergencies. In addition, communities with conditions are encouraged to set up micro-first aid stations to shorten the first aid radius and ensure that patients can receive treatment in the shortest time. For the elderly and their families, it is also very important to be familiar with the location of nearby first aid stations and master basic first aid skills.

(Picture from the Internet)

Author | Han Mei is a practicing pharmacist who has worked in a well-known national tertiary hospital for more than 30 years and has rich medical care experience. She has represented the hospital on many occasions to go out for exchanges and study. She is an expert in food hygiene and nutrition, has a national nutritionist qualification, and is a science enthusiast.

Preliminary review | Chen Jiaqi, Li Shuhao

Review | Wei Xinghua

Final Review | Han Yonglin