The incidence of stroke is not increasing, but unfortunately it is not decreasing – it remains high, according to the data of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC). Stroke is one of the most common causes of death in Latvia. Unfortunately, Latvia ranks first among European Union countries in stroke and mortality from stroke, despite the treatment available today and patient information and education campaigns. In addition, SPKC data reveal that more than 2,000 people in Latvia die of stroke every year and 15% of them in 2019 were under 64 years of age.
A stroke is a sudden damage to the brain that occurs and develops due to a blockage in a blood vessel (ischemic stroke or cerebral stroke) or a rupture of a blood vessel (haemorrhagic stroke). The development of ischemic stroke is most commonly associated with atherosclerosis and arrhythmias that cause blood clots in the blood vessels, while hemorrhagic stroke is one of the most common causes of high blood pressure.
The main risk factors
Stroke-promoting or risk factors can be divided into two large groups: affected (or modified) and non-affected (or non-modified), the doctor explains. The incidence of stroke increases with age, and it is a risk factor that we cannot control. However, there are many other risk factors that we can influence ourselves and protect ourselves, or vice versa – to be co-responsible for diseases not only with nsult, but also with myocardial infarction, if we do not take care of our own health.
Risk factors we can influence and control:
– smoking, excessive alcohol consumption;
– a diet high in fat but low in fiber (vegetables and fruits), which increases blood cholesterol levels;
– overweight, especially young people who lack knowledge about healthy eating, which can also be tasty;
– sedentary lifestyle, that is, we do not perform additional regular walks or other physical activities in our daily work outside work;
– uncontrolled or poorly controlled high blood pressure;
– untreated cardiovascular disease and arrhythmias.
It should be remembered that a stroke is not an isolated disease in itself, but most often the consequences of another untreated disease (such as untreated high blood pressure, untreated high blood sugar or blood sugar, or untreated heart arrhythmia). If these risk factors and diseases are controlled, then a person will have only one disease, not, for example, diabetes and stroke or cardiac arrhythmia and stroke.
Therefore, the risk of stroke includes people with the above-mentioned conditions, as well as younger, seemingly healthy people who smoke, are overweight, eat unhealthily and do not perform simple health checks at least once a year with a family doctor.
What should everyone know about stroke?
1. A stroke is a disease that a person can still partially influence!
2. A stroke is a disease that can cause a person to die, regardless of age, but most often, it can be paralyzed, become caring or lying and cared for.
3. In case of a stroke, urgent action is required! Time is of the essence! If stroke symptoms occur, an ambulance must be called IMMEDIATELY! Patients can be helped or started treatment only in the first 4.5-6 hours from the beginning of the event! This is the time from the onset of symptoms, but the time until the ambulance arrives and takes the patient to the hospital, as well as the time in the hospital that the doctor needs to diagnose and perform all the necessary tests before starting treatment to be effective, must also be taken into account. but would not harm the patient. In addition, to help the patient, the hospital must have a special department: a stroke unit.
The first signs to act
The manifestations of a stroke are different. They depend on which blood vessel is blocked or ruptured. All symptoms start suddenly (not for a few days or longer) – the person or relatives can tell exactly when they left ill.
The main symptoms that can be noticed by those around you:
– weaker side of one body (arm and leg or only arm or leg only);
– šķība is;
– speech problems;
– sensory disturbances on one side of the body;
– dizziness with nausea, vomiting and dizziness;
– loss of vision in one or both eyes
– sudden sharp headache
– in more severe cases, loss of consciousness.
In order for the population to recognize these symptoms and act accordingly, the scale A.TRI (international FAST test, adapted in Latvian) has been created.
Ā – smile. Ask the person to smile and watch if the corner of the eye or mouth on one side of the face does not slip down.
T – has. Check that the person is able to raise and hold both hands simultaneously.
R – speaks. Tests whether a person is able to speak and say or repeat simple sentences.
I – call. If a person is unable to perform any of these activities, emergency medical attention must be called immediately (113).
Also, do not ignore transient symptoms
There is a myth that if the symptoms of a stroke had appeared, but within an hour or a couple of hours they passed, then you should not seek medical attention. This myth is completely wrong. These are people who have had a so-called transient ischemic attack or transient ischemic attack, which is a warning condition and indicates that there is a risk factor for the stroke that caused it. If this risk factor is not treated immediately, the circulatory disorders may recur in the next few days, but this time not as a temporary circulatory disorder, but as a stroke that could actually have been avoided if the person had sought immediate medical attention.
It should be borne in mind that stroke can also affect young people, so the signs of a stroke should always be taken seriously, regardless of the patient’s age or other factors. Action must be taken immediately!
Preventive measures
– Quit smoking!
– Make sure your diet is healthy and you don’t eat too much!
– Be physically active – take at least a 30-minute walk in addition to what you go on a daily basis.
– If you have any other illnesses, monitor them and take the medicine recommended by your doctor regularly.
– If you have no other illnesses, have a preventive check-up with your GP to assess and assess possible risk factors (measuring blood pressure, measuring blood glucose or sugar and blood cholesterol levels, performing an electrocardiogram).
Pharmacist advice
Ilze Priedniece, a clinical pharmacist at BENU Aptiekas, has noticed that in a pharmacy, people ask more questions about the correct use of medicines prescribed for the treatment of themselves or their relatives in connection with a stroke. There are also often prevention-related questions, such as what is the norm for cholesterol and what to use to lower it.
For stroke prevention, the clinical pharmacist recommends regular monitoring of blood pressure and pulse – the optimal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg, but the resting pulse should be 60-80 beats per minute. You should also measure your cholesterol and glucose levels regularly and lower them if necessary. Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption. Take care of a healthy, wholesome and balanced diet on a daily basis, as well as reduce salt consumption. Don’t forget about physical activities – at least 30 minutes a day of walking, swimming, cycling, Nordic walking or other activities of similar intensity. Reduce excess weight, if any.
Also remember that it is important to have a healthy sleep and reduce stress levels! Sleep should be 7-8 hours a day. If you have been prescribed a medicine by your doctor, you must take it regularly – at the prescribed dose and schedule each day, without stopping or changing the dose without your doctor’s advice.
It is recommended to use fish oil from food supplements, which contains valuable Omega-3 fatty acids. They are necessary for many body functions – they have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, as well as vision and brain function. Monacolin K from red yeast rice is useful to help maintain normal cholesterol levels.
Medicinal herbs with a calming effect will be useful for reducing stress and promoting sleep. These include hawthorn, motherwort, lemon balm, valerian, heather, chamomile and mint.
Take care of your health responsibly!
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