In the high-incidence season of cerebral infarction, some knowledge you should know

This is the 4720th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral stroke, and cerebral infarction, what are they exactly?

What ordinary people usually call stroke or cerebral infarction are diseases of the blood vessels in the brain. In fact, they are divided into two opposite types of diseases, namely cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction. Cerebral infarction is an ischemic stroke, which is caused by blood clots or emboli blocking cerebral blood vessels, resulting in ischemia and hypoxia of the corresponding brain tissue, often causing hemiplegia of the limbs, speech and sensory disorders; cerebral hemorrhage is a hemorrhagic stroke, hypertension, cerebral arteriosclerosis, and tumors can cause rupture of blood vessels in the brain, vascular malformations, cerebral aneurysms, and blood diseases can cause rupture of blood vessels on the surface and base of the brain, blood flows out and seeps into the ventricles, causing intracranial hypertension, manifested as severe headaches, frequent vomiting, paralysis, coma, etc., and severe cases die quickly.

These four bad habits can easily lead to cerebral infarction

Although cerebral infarction is not fatal, once it occurs, it may lead to serious consequences such as hemiplegia and aphasia, affecting the quality of life.

1. Ignoring the “three highs” problem

High blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids are the "breeding ground" for cerebral infarction. Since the early symptoms are not obvious, many people turn a blind eye to these potential dangers. Remember, regular monitoring and control of the "three highs" is the first step in preventing cerebral infarction.

2. Not drinking enough water

Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink water. When your body sends out a signal of dehydration, your blood may have become viscous, increasing the risk of blood clots. Develop a habit of drinking water regularly to keep your body well hydrated.

3. Neglecting medical check-ups

Regular physical examinations are the key to preventing cerebral infarction. Through examinations such as carotid ultrasound and electrocardiogram, we can detect and solve problems that may cause cerebral infarction early. If you are over 40, you should include these examinations in your daily health management.

4. Bad living habits

Smoking, drinking, staying up late, lack of exercise... these bad habits are quietly accelerating the aging of your blood vessels and increasing the risk of cerebral infarction. When we talk about health, we don't mean that you should take those bottles of health products, but become a self-disciplined person. If you abuse your body, your body will punish you. To prevent cerebral infarction, don't wait until it happens before you regret it. Remember to share it with your relatives and friends around you to remind them.

Don't want to have a cerebral infarction, do these 3 tests

If you don't want to have a stroke, you must do these three tests no matter how poor you are. Especially if your parents are over 50. Hello everyone, I am Dr. Han Rui. The incidence of stroke is increasing year by year, and prevention is better than cure. By doing these three key tests, we can detect problems early and prevent the occurrence of diseases at the lowest cost.

First of all, carotid artery ultrasound is a must-do item for screening cerebral infarction in the middle-aged and elderly. This examination is simple to operate, has no radiation, can detect plaques and vascular stenosis, and is relatively inexpensive and non-invasive, making it very suitable for the general public.

Secondly, an electrocardiogram can screen for atrial fibrillation and other conditions. Atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia that can easily cause blood clots. If the clots break off and flow into the brain with the blood, it can easily cause cerebral infarction. Therefore, an electrocardiogram is essential for screening the risk of cerebral infarction. A routine electrocardiogram is not expensive and can be completed for just a few dozen dollars.

Finally, paying attention to your blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, uric acid, homocysteine ​​and other indicators is also an important part of preventing cerebral infarction. These indicators can be obtained through a simple blood test. If abnormalities are found, you must see a professional doctor in time and take some medicine after evaluation to prevent cerebral infarction.

How to prevent cerebral infarction?

The prevention guidelines for cerebral infarction mention more than 20 risk factors. Controlling these risk factors can reduce the risk of cerebrovascular disease. I will summarize the factors that can be intervened:

1. Hypertension

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cerebrovascular disease. Keeping blood pressure within the normal range, especially in the elderly, can effectively reduce the risk of stroke.

2. Diabetes

People with diabetes need to control their blood sugar to reduce damage to their blood vessels and thus lower their risk of stroke.

3 Atrial fibrillation

Patients with atrial fibrillation need to control their atrial fibrillation to avoid small emboli that may cause stroke.

4. Hyperlipidemia

Hyperlipidemia is the main cause of atherosclerosis, and lowering blood lipid levels helps prevent cerebrovascular disease.

5. Obesity

Obesity, especially abdominal obesity, increases the risk of stroke. Maintaining a proper weight is very important.

6 Sleep apnea syndrome

If your family member snores loudly and suddenly, it may be sleep apnea, a condition that can increase the risk of stroke.

7. Asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis

Perform vascular ultrasound examinations regularly and take timely measures to prevent worsening of carotid artery stenosis.

8. Hyperhomocysteinemia

This is an indicator of increased stroke risk. If your blood homocysteine ​​level is high, you should consider taking a folic acid medication.

9. Some bad living habits

For example, a high-salt, high-fat, and high-cholesterol diet increases the incidence of atherosclerosis and stroke;

Lack of exercise: Physical exercise can reduce the incidence and recurrence rate of stroke, so get moving quickly

Smoking: Smoking greatly increases the risk of stroke. Quitting smoking is an important step in preventing cerebrovascular disease.

Alcohol consumption: Reducing or even stopping drinking can help reduce your risk of stroke.

Symptoms of stroke

Once a stroke occurs, how can we identify it in the first place and shorten the time to seek medical treatment? Let's take a look at the symptoms of stroke. Typical symptoms are mainly concentrated in the following three aspects: face, hands, speech

1. Face

Ask the patient to smile and observe whether the corners of his mouth are crooked and whether the two sides are symmetrical. Usually when a stroke occurs, the corner of the patient's mouth is crooked to one side and the two sides of the face are asymmetrical.

2. Hands

Ask the patient to raise both hands to see if both hands are at the same height, and ask if one side of the limb is numb or weak;

3. Language

Ask the patient to repeat a sentence to see if he or she understands it, or if the speech is slurred or if the patient has difficulty expressing himself or herself;

If you find any of the above symptoms, be sure to note the time of onset and seek medical attention immediately. Do not hold on to the wrong ideas and thoughts such as "wait and see, it will get better" or "it will get better after a good night's sleep", so as not to miss the best time for treatment.

Do these 4 points to recover better from cerebral infarction

Unfortunately, if you have a stroke, although you can be saved by timely medical treatment, it is easy to leave various sequelae, such as hemiplegia, speech disorders, crooked mouth, choking and coughing when eating, etc. So, can patients with cerebral infarction return to normal? The answer is not so negative. Doing the following 4 points can help you recover as soon as possible.

1. Keep massaging

For patients with severe cerebral infarction, long-term bed rest may lead to muscle atrophy and joint stiffness. Passive exercise can be provided to the muscles to prevent muscle atrophy and joint stiffness.

2. Rehabilitation exercises

Patients cannot stay in bed for a long time, otherwise they are prone to bed sores, lung infections and other problems, which will also aggravate muscle atrophy and make functional recovery more difficult. A reasonable rehabilitation plan should be formulated according to the patient's physical condition and cardiopulmonary function, and targeted training should be carried out.

3. Language training

Many patients with cerebral infarction will be left with language dysfunction, such as slurred speech and aphasia. Language training is the key to helping patients recover their language function. At the beginning, patients can learn pronunciation first, gradually increase the difficulty, and use a variety of methods to enhance memory function to achieve the purpose of language rehabilitation training.

4. Psychological care

Cerebral infarction may cause physical disability and put patients under great psychological pressure. Listen to their inner thoughts and give them positive encouragement and comfort.

Author: East China Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University

Emergency Department