Cold wave! The temperature has dropped drastically. Remember to remind your parents these 5 things

Cold is like a hidden killer, targeting the cerebral blood vessels of the elderly.

The elderly are a high-risk group for cerebrovascular diseases. How can the elderly at home protect their cerebrovascular vessels ?

The "three dangers of winter" in cerebrovascular disease

1. Vasoconstriction and blood pressure fluctuations:

Blood vessels contract at low temperatures, which is like making the opening of a water pipe smaller, which naturally increases pressure and causes blood pressure to rise . The blood vessels of the elderly are no longer as elastic as when they were young, and cannot withstand such torment, so cerebral hemorrhage is easy to occur, just as dangerous as an aging water pipe suddenly bursting.

2. Increased blood viscosity:

The cold also makes the blood thicker.

Platelets become active and gather together, making the blood thicker. The relatively slow blood circulation of the elderly is further obstructed, just like a river with slow water flow is prone to silt accumulation. The risk of cerebral thrombosis increases significantly, which may cause cerebrovascular diseases such as cerebral infarction.

3. Sympathetic nerve excitement:

The drop in temperature will stimulate the sympathetic nerves of the human body and increase their excitability. Sympathetic nerve excitement will release a series of hormones, further aggravating vasoconstriction, increasing blood pressure, and affecting the heart's pumping function.

For the elderly, heart function and blood vessel regulation ability are already in a state of decline. The series of physiological changes brought about by sympathetic nerve excitement can more easily disrupt the body's balance, making cerebrovascular disease more likely to occur.

Warmth protection secrets to resist the "cold wave attack"

1. The most important thing to protect your head is a hat to keep you warm in winter

The head is a major source of heat loss. In cold waves, the cerebral blood vessels are particularly susceptible to contraction due to the cold head. At this time, a hat can play a big role. Wearing it when going out is like putting on warm clothes for the cerebral blood vessels, which can lock in heat, make the cerebral blood vessels comfortable, and keep blood pressure stable, greatly reducing the risk of disease.

(1) Choose the right hat

Material: Good warmth retention and breathability, such as wool hats, down hats or hats containing high-tech thermal fibers.

Size: Not too tight to press on the scalp, nor too loose to make it slip off.

Style: **Can cover the forehead, ears and back of the head, **to fully protect the head from the cold wind.

(2) Indoor and outdoor temperature difference management

When going out, be sure to wear a hat to reduce heat loss from your head.

After entering a warm indoor environment, you can take off your hat appropriately, but avoid immediate exposure to cold wind to prevent catching a cold.

In addition to hats, add warm clothes such as thick cotton-padded clothes and down jackets in time, pay attention to keeping the neck, back, abdomen and feet warm, and can be matched with scarves, warm vests, thick socks and non-slip warm shoes.

Maintain a suitable temperature indoors and pay attention to ventilation, while avoiding large temperature differences between the front and back of the environment.

In particular, the elderly should avoid going directly from an air-conditioned room at home at 27°C to the zero-degree outdoors. Instead, they should turn off the air conditioner or heater and transition to a room at 10-20°C before going out. Drastic temperature changes in a short period of time are also an important factor in inducing cerebrovascular events.

2. Balance movement and stillness to keep your body healthy and resistant to danger

Exercise can improve the body's antioxidant capacity and immune function, help prevent atherosclerosis, promote blood circulation, and improve blood supply to the heart and brain. Don't stop exercising just because the weather is cold.

However, the elderly, especially those with cerebrovascular diseases, should be careful not to do morning exercises . From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the sunlight is more abundant and the temperature is relatively high, so it is more suitable to exercise during this time period.

Going for a walk, practicing Tai Chi or Ba Duan Jin are all good choices.

In bad weather, you can do indoor exercise instead of outdoor exercise , but make sure the exercise venue has good ventilation. Warm up thoroughly before exercise, drink enough water during exercise, and avoid strenuous exercise and excessive fatigue that can cause a sharp rise in blood pressure.

In addition to choosing the right exercise, elderly patients often experience changes in blood pressure when changing their body positions due to poor vascular elasticity or physical illness. Therefore, they should move slowly when getting up in the morning to avoid a sudden drop in blood pressure caused by a rapid change in body position, which can affect blood supply to the brain. If dizziness or headaches occur when changing body positions, blood pressure needs to be monitored in a timely manner .

3. Eat right to protect your blood vessels

When the weather is cold, you want to eat something hot. Elderly patients should pay special attention to their diet in winter. Easily digestible foods are more suitable to ensure balanced nutrition. Increase the intake of foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, etc.; and consume high-quality proteins such as lean meat, fish, beans, eggs, and dairy products in moderation.

Control the intake of salt, oil and sugar, and reduce the intake of pickled, fried foods and high-sugar drinks, as these are all enemies of health.

It is important to drink plenty of water, which can make the blood less viscous and flow more smoothly. When you wake up in the morning, you can drink 1 to 2 cups of warm water. Don't stay still or drink water before going to bed at night in order to avoid going to the bathroom, which will lead to serious consequences.

4. Peace of mind and comfort in the cold winter

The daylight hours are short in winter, and the elderly are easily depressed, but mood also has a great impact on cerebrovascular health.

It is recommended that elderly friends stay up late less and have a regular work and rest schedule; it is recommended that children go home often to visit the elderly, let them chat with family and friends more, and encourage them to participate in some social activities. Keeping an open mind and calm is very important for preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. An optimistic attitude is like sunshine, which can dispel the haze in the heart, relax the cerebral blood vessels, and stay away from the troubles of diseases.

5. Proper inspection and supervision to provide medical protection

Elderly people, especially those with underlying diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, need to have regular physical examinations, take medication on time as directed by their doctors, and control their blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipid indicators. If you feel unwell or your condition changes during the cold wave, seek medical attention and adjust your treatment plan in a timely manner. Do not increase or reduce medication on your own.

What happens?

Should I go to the hospital immediately?

For stroke patients, “time is brain” . Early detection, early diagnosis, and early intervention can significantly improve the prognosis of stroke patients.

If you experience the above symptoms, please call the emergency number 120 immediately and go to the nearest qualified medical institution near your home to get the best treatment time. Do not delay for a moment.

Winter is coming. With these little protective tips, it is like building a solid line of defense for the cerebral blood vessels of the elderly.

I hope every elderly person can spend the cold winter safely and enjoy a healthy and happy old age.

Written by: Zhou Xinyue, Hao Keyu, Gao Linlin

Proofreading: Sun Fukang, Li Guanyan

Typesetting: Zheng Yanfei