Stroke is a devastating violation of the normal supply of the brain, which causes the death of brain tissue due to lack of oxygen and the necessary nutrients. It occurs when the flow of blood to the part of the brain stops or significantly decreases.
After a part of the nerve cells die, the body loses one of the functions for which the dead cells responded: paralysis, loss of speech and other serious disorders occur. When the vessels are clogged, there is an ischemic stroke, with a rupture - hemorrhagic.
The main method for preventing the disease is strict control of the main risk factors - high blood pressure, bad habits and high blood cholesterol.
Causes of Stroke
The cause of a stroke is a violation of the blood flow to some area of the brain due to blockage (stenosis) or rupture of the cerebral artery. More often than not, a stroke occurs in people suffering from problems with the heart or diseases that provoke disorders of the circulatory system.
Almost 90 percent of the strokes are ischemic, so the most common cause is cerebral thrombosis (blockage of the artery), this plaque occurs most often with atherosclerosis. The lack of blood flow deprives brain cells of oxygen and nutrients, cells can begin to die within a few minutes.
In the case of hemorrhagic form, the wall of the defective artery ruptures. It happens much less often than ischemic, but more dangerous. To provoking factors include high blood pressure and weak points in the walls of blood vessels (aneurysms).
If to characterize as a whole, the cause of the pathology is the damage of nerve cells located in the head brain and controlling all the functions of the human body - all this leads to serious consequences. This ailment is the leader among the causes of human disability and ranks third among the causes of death of the population.
Risk factors
Many factors can increase the risk of stroke. Some of these factors also increase the risk of heart disease.
- in the anamnesis of relatives there is a stroke or a myocardial infarction;
- age 55 years and older;
- increased blood pressure, and cholesterol;
- overweight, diabetes, atherosclerosis;
- bad habits - smoking, alcohol.
The risk of pathology should be considered in the presence of one of the above factors.
The first signs of a stroke in women and men
Before the onset of a stroke, there are almost always symptoms of a violation of the blood supply to the brain. A harbinger of a stroke may be a transient impairment of cerebral circulation, or a transient ischemic attack.
In women and men, this can be manifested by such signs as - headaches, dizziness, weakness. In the future, nausea and vomiting may occur.
Hemorrhagic - differs from ischemic in that damage and rupture of the vessel occurs with increased arterial pressure, due to the fact that the wall of the artery in the atherosclerosis of the vessels is unevenly worn out. Ischemic is more vile than hemorrhagic, therefore the signs of ischemic stroke are lubricated, grow smoothly or "flicker".
The first signs of a stroke in women:
- suddenly lost vision;
- obvious violation of coordination;
- the withdrawal of forces from the hands, feet;
- loss of understanding of words or ability to speak clearly;
- decreased sensitivity;
- a gradual increase in the above characteristics.
A woman's stroke, the signs of which are sometimes unconventional at the beginning of the illness, often make it difficult to diagnose the disease early, which significantly delays the provision of adequate medical care.
Signs of a male stroke:
- severe headache, may be accompanied by vomiting;
- sudden weakness and dizziness;
- difficulty in pronunciation of speech and perception of the environment;
- deterioration of vision;
- blurred consciousness;
If pathology affects a specific part of the brain, then there will be disruptions in the work of that part of the body, for which the affected area was responsible.
Symptoms of a stroke
When the following specific symptoms of a stroke occur, emergency care should be urgently called for. Also remember when these symptoms started, because their duration may be important for the choice of treatment.
- Ask the person to smile. At a stroke, a smile will be a curve.
- Ask to keep your hands raised, with muscle weakness it can not be done.
- Ask the affected person to say a simple sentence. During the attack, a man or woman will speak slowly, stammering. It's like the speech of a drunk man.
- Ask to stick out the tongue - its tip is deflected towards the hearth in the brain.
To this symptomatology are joined such signs:
- Acute headaches without any clear reasons;
- Visual impairment of one or both eyes;
- Occurrence of unexpected weakness;
- Misunderstanding of speech;
- Partial or complete paralysis of the limbs.
Symptoms for a short-term ischemic attack are the same as for a normal stroke, but the duration is only a few minutes.
First aid
Patients with acute impairment of cerebral circulation should be immediately hospitalized in a hospital. Before the arrival of a doctor, you must immediately take independent measures. When stroke is the most expensive are the first minutes and hours of the disease, because it is at this time that medical care can be most effective.
- Lay the patient on a raised platform and lift his head 30 degrees;
- Ensure free access to fresh air;
- Take off your clothes to avoid hampering the movement of the chest;
- When vomiting, turn the victim's head to the side so that vomit does not enter the respiratory tract;
- If the pressure is elevated, give the patient the necessary medication, which he usually takes in such cases;
- Urgently call the ambulance.
After this illness, almost all patients need rehabilitation.
Treatment
Treatment of stroke is a long process, which consists of a number of medical procedures.
First of all, immediate hospitalization is needed, with the goal of stabilizing the patient's condition. In addition, the patient is assigned oxygen therapy, restorative treatment and rehabilitation with the use of physiotherapy, massage and physiotherapy.
After first-priority measures, stroke treatment is focused on helping a patient restore his strength, functions and return to an independent life. For this, there is a special rehabilitation program for people who have suffered a stroke.
The consequences of a stroke
Stroke can lead in the future to prolonged coma, paralysis or paresis (muscle weakness) of the muscles of one side or part of the body, impaired intellect and / or memory.
The most common consequences:
- The most serious complication is paralysis;
- Weakness, stiffness and pain in the muscles;
- Violation of coordination;
- Speech disorders such as dysarthria and aphasia;
- The formation of decubitus is the process of tissue death in places where the skin is under pressure;
- Problems with attention, perception of information and memory;
- Violation of urodynamics.
The consequences of cerebral circulation disorders can be either temporary or irreversible, in which the final cell death occurs.
Prevention of stroke
The main importance for the prevention of pathology is the identification of risk factors, the implementation of the recommendations of a doctor and the observance of a healthy lifestyle.
- Regularly measure blood pressure;
- Reducing cholesterol and saturated fat in your diet;
- Compliance with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables;
- Control of diabetes;
- Physical activity and control of own weight.
In addition, for the prevention of stroke, doctors are advised to engage in psychoregulation, meditation and self-hypnosis, which will avoid stress and depression, and reduce mental pressure.
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