Stroke is a serious brain disease. It is not only the fourth leading killer in Hong Kong, but also the most common cause of permanent disability in adults. One in every four adults will suffer from a stroke. A neurologist reminded that mini-stroke is an important danger signal. Among the high-risk “mini-stroke” patient group, up to 20% will suffer a “real stroke” within 3 months! If you suddenly have a severe headache, the pain is like thunder, or you feel dizzy and dizzy, or it may be symptoms caused by a stroke, you should seek medical advice immediately.
Headache is a common symptom of stroke patients. If you suddenly have a headache that is like thunder, you should seek medical advice immediately and do not take it lightly.
Dr. Ng Bing-wing, a neurologist at Sanatorium & Hospital, pointed out that about 80% of strokes are caused by vascular embolism. When an embolism occurs in a main cerebral blood vessel, about 2 million brain cells will die every minute. Therefore, “time is the key to treating acute stroke.” (Time is Brain). The medical community has been promoting the “laughing and fighting” formula for many years to educate the public on the symptoms of stroke.
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“Talking and laughing but using troops”Keepmeaningacute strokeFirstTrillion
“Talk”: Difficulty speaking or being unable to express yourself
“Laughing”: When smiling, the facial expressions on both sides are asymmetrical or the mouth is crooked
“Use”: Unable to use force or numbness of one hand or foot
“Soldier”: When you find that the above problems are likely to be a precursor to a stroke, immediately ask for help from the rescuers and seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
Dr. Wu reminded that when patients have symptoms of “talking”, “laughing”, and “using”, they should go to the hospital for evaluation and treatment as soon as possible to seize the “golden 3 hours” of stroke treatment, because the treatment with thrombolytic agents The sooner the better. Although for some patients with large vessel embolism and stroke, the treatment window can be longer; to obtain the best curative effect, patients should still rush to the hospital immediately after the onset of the disease to receive thrombolytic treatment to dissolve the clogged blood vessels. Thrombus, allowing brain tissue to restore blood supply as quickly as possible.
About 20% of early-stage mild stroke patients will deteriorate within 72 hours, so even if the symptoms of stroke are mild, they must not be taken lightly.
Beware of “small stroke” turning into “big stroke”
Some stroke patients actually had a “mini-stroke” before the stroke, which is a temporary cerebral ischemia. Since the symptoms of a mini-stroke will completely disappear within an hour, most patients have no symptoms when they arrive at the hospital outpatient clinic, and clinical examinations cannot find any symptoms. Nothing out of the ordinary, so easily overlooked. However, mini-stroke is an important danger signal because up to 20% of high-risk “mini-stroke” patients will develop a “true stroke” within 3 months. Clinical studies in recent years have shown that if patients with minor or mild stroke receive dual platelet inhibitor treatment at the early stage of the disease, the risk of recurrence of stroke can be effectively reduced and the chance of full recovery is increased.
There are many causes of headaches and dizziness that cannot be generalized
Headache is a common symptom of stroke patients. Dr. Wu said that if the headache is sudden and severe, like a thunderclap headache, a brain scan should be performed immediately to determine whether subarachnoid hemorrhage has occurred. If it is another brain disease, such as reversible vasoconstriction syndrome (Reversible Vasoconstriction Syndrome), further in-depth examination is required to confirm the diagnosis.
On the other hand, many patients with dizziness worry about having a stroke, but the causes of dizziness are numerous and cannot be generalized. Dr. Wu explained that dizziness caused by stroke usually makes patients feel dizzy (vertigo) and lasts for a long time. In many cases, patients suffer from severe nausea, vomiting, and unsteady walking. Dizziness is often caused by a stroke in the back of the brain. Through detailed clinical examination, it is possible to find accompanying visual field defects or symptoms of brainstem and cerebellum dysfunction to achieve a correct diagnosis.
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Master clinical informationhelpaccurate diagnosis
Other common symptoms of stroke include dysphasia, apraxia, drowsiness or confusion, etc., depending on the location and extent of the brain affected. Dr. Wu continued that in clinical practice, we also encounter some patients with suspected stroke (Stroke Mimics). They have symptoms similar to stroke, but they are not real strokes. Therefore, doctors need to rule out hypoglycemia first, especially diabetes or diabetes. Only in patients with alcoholism can a correct diagnosis be made. For some more complex diseases, such as hemiplegia after partial cerebral epilepsy, motor aura during migraine attacks, etc., even experienced neurologists may not be able to make a correct diagnosis immediately.
To get a correct diagnosis, doctors not only need to consider the patient’s medical history, but also understand whether they have high-risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure, smoking, atrial fibrillation, etc., plus blood test reports and brain scans to weigh various treatments. The pros and cons of the options, and providing the patient with the most appropriate management as quickly as possible.
It is urgent to treat stroke Combined with AIStrive for opportunities for recovery
HKSH launched its Stroke Emergency Treatment Program in 2016, providing 24-hour IV Thrombolysis services in the hospital to improve the chances of recovery for ischemic stroke patients. In recent years, it has used AI to analyze the cerebrovascular magnetism of acute stroke patients. Resonance or computerized scanning perfusion imaging can quickly calculate the amount and proportion of the patient’s remaining salvageable brain tissue, helping doctors determine whether the patient is suitable for endovascular thrombectomy (Endovascular Thrombectomy), which uses a catheter to remove the blocked brain in a minimally invasive surgery. Blood clots in blood vessels further improve the chances of recovery, so stroke treatment is no longer limited to the golden 3 hours of onset.
(The World Stroke Organization designates October 29 every year as “World Stroke Awareness Day” in the hope of raising public awareness and prevention of stroke.)
2023-11-06 09:25:33
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