Stroke related knowledge

Stroke, also known as apoplexy or cerebrovascular accident, is an acute cerebrovascular disease. It is mainly divided into ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke, just like a blocked water pipe (ischemic) and a burst water pipe (hemorrhagic). Ischemic stroke is caused by blockage of blood vessels in the brain, leading to ischemia, hypoxia and necrosis of local brain tissue. Common causes are thrombosis or embolus detachment and blockage of blood vessels, such as carotid artery plaque detachment and entering the blood vessels in the brain with blood flow. Hemorrhagic stroke is caused by rupture and bleeding of cerebral blood vessels, resulting in damage to surrounding brain tissue. Common causes include high blood pressure causing rupture of cerebral blood vessels, etc. Ischemic stroke: mainly includes cerebral thrombosis and cerebral embolism, which is caused by cerebral blood vessel blockage leading to ischemia and necrosis of brain tissue. Hemorrhagic stroke: such as cerebral hemorrhage, is caused by rupture of cerebral blood vessels, causing blood to flow into brain tissue or ventricles.

The dangers of stroke

Stroke is extremely harmful and can cause limb paralysis, such as the inability to move one arm and leg normally, affecting the patient's ability to move and making them unable to take care of themselves. It can also cause speech disorders, and the patient may not be able to express his or her thoughts clearly or understand what others are saying. In addition, stroke may also cause difficulty in swallowing, increase the risk of choking and lung infection, and even endanger life in severe cases. Moreover, the recurrence rate of stroke is high. If it is not prevented and controlled, multiple strokes will cause more serious physical and mental damage to patients.

Common symptoms of stroke

Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs: especially if it occurs on one side of the body, such as suddenly finding that one corner of the mouth is crooked, drooling, or one arm is unable to raise or make a fist normally.

Sudden slurred speech or difficulty understanding: You may suddenly start to speak unclearly or not understand what others are saying when communicating with them.

Sudden onset of blurred vision or loss of vision in one or both eyes: Vision problems with no apparent cause that may be brief or last longer.

Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or coordination: feeling that objects around you are spinning, unsteady walking, and prone to falling.

Sudden onset of severe headache with no apparent cause: The headache is much more severe than usual and has no obvious triggering factors such as a cold or sinusitis.

Risk Factors for Stroke

Uncontrollable factors: including age (the incidence rate increases over 55 years old), gender (males are slightly higher than females), family history (people with a family history of stroke have a higher risk of disease), etc.

Controllable factors: Hypertension is an important risk factor. Long-term hypertension can damage the blood vessel wall and easily cause cerebrovascular disease. Poor blood sugar control in diabetic patients can affect blood vessels and nerves, increasing the risk of stroke. High blood lipids can lead to atherosclerosis, narrowing and blocking blood vessels. In addition, smoking can damage vascular endothelial cells, alcoholism can cause blood pressure fluctuations and affect coagulation function, and obesity, lack of exercise, high-salt, high-fat, high-sugar diets and other unhealthy lifestyles are also closely related to the occurrence of stroke.

Prevention of Stroke

Control underlying diseases: Hypertensive patients should take antihypertensive drugs regularly to keep blood pressure within a reasonable range (generally systolic blood pressure <140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure <90 mmHg, but it varies from patient to patient). Diabetic patients should control blood sugar and achieve glycated hemoglobin standards through diet, exercise and drug treatment. Patients with hyperlipidemia should pay attention to dietary adjustments and use lipid-lowering drugs, such as statins, according to their blood lipid status to lower blood lipid levels and stabilize plaques.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle: quit smoking, limit alcohol intake, and avoid secondhand smoke. Eat a balanced diet, eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, etc., and reduce the intake of salt, oil and sugar. Perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, etc., and you can also do strength training as appropriate. Maintain a healthy weight, and try to keep your body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 - 23.9kg/m².

Regular physical examinations: Conduct regular comprehensive physical examinations, including measuring blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, and checking carotid artery ultrasound, etc., to promptly identify potential risk factors and intervene under the guidance of a doctor.

Treatment of stroke

Time is life: If you suspect a stroke, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. For ischemic stroke, thrombolytic therapy can be performed within the "golden time window" after the onset of the disease (usually 4.5-6 hours, depending on the situation) to reopen the blocked blood vessels and save the dying brain tissue. Commonly used thrombolytic drugs include alteplase. Patients who miss the thrombolytic time window may also undergo interventional treatments such as thrombectomy according to their condition.

Comprehensive treatment: Hemorrhagic stroke patients may need surgical hemostasis, hematoma removal and other treatments according to the amount and location of bleeding, as well as blood pressure control and intracranial pressure reduction. Whether it is ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, patients need rehabilitation treatment after their condition stabilizes, including limb function rehabilitation training, speech training, swallowing training, etc., to promote functional recovery and improve quality of life.

Things to note in life:

Maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid overwork and mood swings.

Follow the doctor's instructions for reexamination and follow-up, and adjust the treatment plan in time.

In short, stroke is a serious cerebrovascular disease, but by understanding the types, symptoms, risk factors and preventive measures of stroke, we can reduce the risk of disease and get timely and effective treatment after the disease. Therefore, it is recommended that everyone pay attention to their health, have regular physical examinations, and actively prevent the occurrence of stroke.