Nutrition and diets 

What is a stroke, symptoms. Causes of a stroke. stroke diagnosis. Treatment of the disease. Microstroke. How long do they live after a stroke and possible consequences What is a stroke definition


Strokes are characterized by a variety of causes that cause the disease. It has been proven that the etiology of stroke in women and men in some cases differs. The causes of stroke in women mainly lie in the plane of the pathophysiology of the fertile period and, in men, they are more often due to occupational risks and bad habits. Differences in the pathogenesis and consequences of stroke in gender groups are associated with the same features.

What is a stroke?

A stroke is an acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA) resulting from one of two causes:

    Narrowing or blockage of blood vessels in the brain - ischemic stroke;

    Hemorrhages in the brain or in its membranes - hemorrhagic stroke.

Strokes occur in people in a wide age range: from 20-25 years to old age.

Strokes in young and middle-aged people

Ischemic stroke factors with gender predisposition:

    In women, heart rheumatism in combination with cardiogenic cerebral embolism (blockage of the middle cerebral artery by a fatty or air embolus formed in the left heart);

    In men, traumatic occlusion of the vessels of the neck (trauma and subsequent blockage of the carotid artery located in the muscles of the neck).

Hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart.

The combination of 2-3 of these factors significantly increases the risk of an adverse outcome of the disease.

stroke death statistics

From 5 to 6 million strokes are diagnosed annually in the world, in Russia - up to 450 thousand. For this reason, 29% of men and 39% of women die. 3.2 people per 10,000 become disabled. During the first month, up to 35% die, and by the end of the year - up to 50%. Recurrent strokes are dangerous. In the first year, a relapse develops in 5-25%, within three years - in 20-30%, within five years - in 30-40% of those who have been ill. The highest risk of stroke in people over 65 years of age, the incidence in this age segment is up to 90% of all cases. At the same age, the highest number of deaths. Up to 80% of strokes develop as ischemic brain pathologies with a mortality rate of up to 37%. The remaining 20% ​​of patients with hemorrhagic stroke have a mortality rate of up to 82%.

The reason for the high mortality from stroke in Russia is the rapid aging of the population, late delivery to a medical institution, poor educational work and insufficient stroke prevention measures. Recent statistics show that 39.5% of people at risk of stroke do not think about its danger.

Stroke rarely occurs without previous symptoms - the initial manifestations of insufficient blood supply to the brain (NPNKM) in the form of transient attacks or hypertensive crises in individuals at risk. The risk group for NPCM includes people with hypertension, heart rhythm disturbances, chronic stress, a history of chronic diseases, smoking, a tendency to aggregation of blood cells, and overweight.


The causes of stroke include ischemia (impaired blood supply), embolism (blockage of blood vessels by an embolus), thrombosis (degenerative change in the walls of blood vessels) and intracerebral hemorrhage. Thrombosis is the process of formation of blood clots. If a blood clot occurs in a blood vessel that feeds the brain, it leads to swelling of the brain tissue.

Thrombosis often develops in the morning or at night after surgery or a heart attack. It is thrombosis that causes most strokes that occur in older people. Most often, thrombosis occurs in people who are overweight, in those who abuse smoking, and in women who are protected by oral hormonal contraceptives. At the moment, thrombosis can also develop in very young people who take cocaine.

A hemorrhage occurs when an artery in the brain ruptures. This type of stroke can happen at any age. Hemorrhage occurs with elevated blood pressure. This type of stroke can occur with hardening of the arteries, diabetes, low or sudden high blood pressure, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, use of oral contraceptives.

In an embolism, a clot of fatty substances (embolus) forms in a blood vessel. Getting stuck in the vessels, the embolus blocks the blood flow. This type of stroke can occur after heart surgery or with an arrhythmia.

Stroke Symptoms

Signs of the disease, identified by doctors on the basis of general clinical, instrumental and laboratory studies of the patient in order to make a diagnosis, are called symptoms. The first symptoms of a stroke are determined by a doctor or paramedic on scales (GCS / FAST). Based on many years of research, the most common symptoms of stroke have been identified, which are divided into two conditional groups.

    Cerebral symptoms characteristic of many pathologies associated with brain damage are lightheadedness, stupor, or agitation.

    Focal symptoms - sudden, loss of vision or change in the position of the pupil, uncertain speech, impaired coordination of movement, rigidity (pathological tension) of the muscles of the neck.

The first symptoms of a stroke

A patient with a suspected stroke is admitted to the neurological department or intensive care unit. Hope for a favorable outcome (maximum patient rehabilitation) is possible during the first three to six hours from the onset of a stroke to the start of intensive care or resuscitation. The first symptoms that reliably indicate a certain type of stroke:

    Hemorrhagic stroke - bleeding (hemorrhage) in the tissues of the brain;

    Ischemic stroke is an area of ​​infarction (necrosis) in the brain tissues.

These signs are detected using CT, MRI, EEG.

Symptoms of cerebral or focal lesions of the brain, obtained by publicly available methods, are not always the result of a stroke. Work on the classification of vascular lesions of the brain began in 1971 by E.N. Schmidt, in the final version proposed by him in 1985.


Signs of a stroke are a subjective (personal) feeling of a person or an objective (obvious) description of the disease by an outside observer, which serves as a reason for the patient to seek help from a medical institution.

Signs of a stroke should be known to all people, regardless of their medical education. These symptoms are primarily associated with a violation of the innervation of the muscles of the head and body, so if you suspect a stroke, ask the person to perform three simple actions: smile, raise their hands, say any word or sentence.

If a person has a stroke, this simple test will show the following results:

    The smile looks unnatural, the corners of the lips are located on a different line, which is associated with a limitation or complete impossibility of contraction of the facial muscles;

    Raising the hands looks like an asymmetrical action, the hand on the affected side has no power, that is, it spontaneously falls, the handshake is weak;

    The pronunciation of words or phrases due to paresis or paralysis of the muscles of the face is difficult.

There are other similar tests. Unfortunately, the detection of signs of a stroke means a statement (confirmation) of the onset of irreversible consequences in the brain. The faster qualified assistance is provided to the patient, the greater the chance of eliminating the consequences of a stroke.

Signs of some types of stroke (ischemic) appear before the development of changes in the brain tissues. Such signs are called the initial manifestations of insufficiency of blood supply to the brain (NPNKM), they consist in transient (passing) ischemic attacks or hypertensive crises. Their timely detection is recommended to prevent the development of clinical forms of stroke.

NPNKM is easy to determine at home using the questionnaire L.S. Manvelov. One positive answer (+) is equal to one point. To confirm the diagnosis, answer at least two (+) questions about the presence of the following sensations at least once a week or constantly during the last three months:

    Unreasonable joy/rage.

With a microstroke, foci of cell necrosis are formed and persist in the brain. The symptoms of MI are similar to those of transient ischemic attacks (TIA).

The fundamental difference between a microstroke and transient ischemic attacks is that with TIA:

    There are symptoms of a neurological deficit;

    CT / MRI does not reveal a focus of necrosis (ischemia) in the brain.

The development of a small stroke is noted in the age group from 25 to 45 years. Sex correlation has not been established.

The causes of MI are a combination of several of the following factors:

    arterial hypertension;

    Regular intake of oral contraceptives and other drugs that increase blood viscosity;

    venous thrombosis;

    Systemic blood diseases;

    Drugs, alcohol;

    Head and neck injuries.

A microstroke is a risk factor for the development of one of the types of completed stroke. Frequently repeated MI is the cause of decreased intelligence and dementia.

The main cause of recurrent strokes is cerebrovascular disease (CVD). It should be considered that CVD is strokes and TIA. During the first year, people who have had extensive strokes may develop:

    repeated strokes;

    Dement disorders (acquired decrease in intelligence to varying degrees);

    Lethal outcome.

Influencing risk factors is a real chance of preventing recurrent strokes. Prevention must be consistent and continuous.

The standard algorithm for influencing risk factors in secondary stroke is designated as A-B-C therapy (A - antihypertensive, B - blockers, C - statins). For the prevention of recurrent strokes are used:

    Antihypertensive drugs (micardis, agrenox);

    Thrombus blockers (aspirin, warfarin, agrenox, clopidogrel);

    Statins to counteract the formation of cholesterol. Drugs from the statin group are used to block the enzyme (HGM-CoA) involved in the production of cholesterol. For this purpose, lovastatin, fluvastatin, atorvastatin, rosuvastatin and others are prescribed.

Risk factors for stroke

    Smoking and drinking alcohol are among the main risk factors for stroke, especially in older people. Smoking and alcohol together greatly increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, in addition, drinking alcohol contributes to weight gain.

    Taking certain medications without a doctor's prescription puts you at risk of developing heart and blood disease, which can lead to stroke. The likelihood of developing a stroke is significantly increased with the use of oral contraceptives containing estrogens. This risk is increased when oral contraceptives are used by women who smoke and have high blood pressure.

    It is necessary to monitor the level of cholesterol in the blood, since its high content is one of the risk factors for stroke. Improper (supersaturated fat) and irregular nutrition leads to an increase in cholesterol levels.

    Arterial hypertension greatly increases the risk of stroke, especially in combination with all of the above factors. You need to be more careful in pregnant women suffering from arterial hypertension, and women taking oral contraceptives.

    One of the reasons for the development of cardiovascular diseases is hypodynamia (sedentary lifestyle). It is necessary to do exercises daily, jogging and walking in the fresh air. The implementation of these recommendations has a beneficial effect on the content of sugar in the blood and helps to lower blood pressure. The risk of stroke in people with high weight is huge, even in the absence of other risk factors. Heavy weight contributes to the development of high blood pressure, the occurrence of diabetes and creates an increased load on the heart muscle.

    The risk of stroke increases in people with diabetes. A huge percentage of diabetic patients die from the consequences of a stroke.

    The mental state of a person plays a huge role in the occurrence of a stroke. Stress, anxiety, nervous stress increase the risk of developing the disease, especially for people who have already had a stroke.

Excluding deaths, some patients return to normal or partially limited work activity. With a slow recovery of body functions and the impossibility of returning to work within 3-3.5 months, the patient is sent for a medical and social examination (MSE). The medical commission (MC) decides whether to continue treatment on a sick leave or whether it is necessary to determine the III or II disability group. When considering the grounds for disability, the VC takes into account the persistence and duration of the consequences of a stroke:

    Pyramidal defects (motor disorders - paresis, paralysis);

    Extrapyramidal motor (speech disorder, slow movements of the acting side of the body, inability to self-service);

    Extrapyramidal hyperkinesis (decrease in motor functions, inability to maintain a certain posture);

    Atactic disorders;

    Violations of visual functions in the form of partial or complete loss of vision;

    Brain dysfunctions in the form of aphasia;

    epileptic seizures;

    Oppression of mental functions (dementia);

    Complications from the cardiovascular system (peripheral edema, weakness).

Swelling of the legs after a stroke

Edema is referred to as a long-term consequence of a stroke, caused by the insufficiency of the cardiovascular system of the body. Edema is characterized by:

    Slow development and persistence for several hours;

    Localization on the limbs, spreading from bottom to top and symmetry;

    Dense consistency, when pressed, a hole remains.

Of the available means of preventing swelling of the legs, it is allowed to use diuretic drugs of plant origin (canephron, cystone), medicinal herbs or fees that have a diuretic effect. Carefully apply ointments and liquids as rubbing, skin injury is possible.

This complication can develop at any stage of a stroke, more often during the first hours of pathogenesis. Cerebral edema is an increase in intracranial pressure due to pathological swelling of the glial tissue of the brain. Cerebral edema in stroke is a consequence of a violation of cerebral circulation caused by blockage of a large vessel of the brain and its pool and effusion of the liquid part of the blood outside the vascular bed.

Prevention of cerebral edema is a mandatory component of the treatment of the initial period of a stroke, regardless of the presence of symptoms.

Activities are carried out by a specialized team authorized to treat critically ill patients.

The team does the following.

    Supports stable hemodynamics;

    Selectively controls blood pressure (only with hypertension and / or with the simultaneous development of pulmonary edema, some other conditions), clonidine, captopril, atenolol, labetalol, benzohexonium and others are shown, blood pressure cannot be reduced by more than 15% of the initial level;

    Prevents swelling of the brain and lungs, artificial ventilation and drug therapy are indicated;

    Stops the syndrome of psychomotor agitation and / or convulsive syndrome, benzodiazepine drugs are indicated, a non-narcotic dose of sodium oxybutyrate;

    The temperature is above 37.5 ° C, it is advisable to reduce, paracetamol and physical methods are indicated;

    Controls blood glucose levels. In hyperglycemia, short-acting insulin is indicated. Intravenous administration of glucose is contraindicated. Not recommended: dibazol, nifedipine, eufillin, vinpocetine, nicergoline, papaverine, furosemide and mannitol without monitoring blood osmolarity.

Paralysis after a stroke

Movement disorders of varying degrees of regression are frequent companions of strokes.

Usually, violations manifest themselves in the form of paresis (partial loss of the ability to move) and paralysis (complete loss of motor activity).

With strokes observe:

    Monoplegia - paralysis of one limb (arm or leg);

    Hemiplegia - paralysis of the arms and legs of one side of the body;

    Paraplegia is the paralysis of two arms or legs.

Peripheral paralysis is characterized by a complete lack of motor activity in the affected area of ​​the body.

For central paralysis, synkinesis is characteristic - friendly movement. In synkinesis, the paralyzed arm or leg does not act independently, but when the healthy arm or leg is raised, the paralyzed limb performs a similar movement.

Simultaneously with paralysis, speech disorders occur in the form of aphasia or difficulty in pronouncing words, as well as misunderstanding of one's own speech errors.



- depression of the central nervous system as a result of secondary disorders of cerebral circulation, or apoplectiform coma. It develops against the background of stroke and an increase in body temperature, as a result of necrotic processes in the brain and purulent pathologies (complications in the form of bedsores and others).

Coma is characterized by stages, it begins with precoma - confusion of consciousness.

The regression of reflexes manifests itself in four stages:

    Stun - 1 stage;

    Deep sleep (sopor) - stage 2;

    Loss of corneal and ocular reflexes - stage 3;

    Loss of deep reflexes, muscle atony - stage 4.

How long does a coma last after a stroke?

The duration of a coma after a stroke is from several hours to several weeks.

The duration of the coma depends on:

    Its depths - at stages 1-2, it is possible to withdraw from a coma, at stages 3-4, the prognosis is unfavorable;

    The general condition of the patient's body;

    Completeness of measures to support the life of the patient;

    Thoroughness of care for the patient who is in an unconscious state (prevention of bedsores).

Coma 3 degrees

The third degree is also called atonic coma.

Signs of coma III degree are manifested:

    Absence:

    • pain response;

      corneal reflexes (eye closing in response to corneal irritation);

      pupillary reactions (lack of reaction to eye illumination).

    Decrease:

    • pharyngeal reflex;

      tendon reflexes;

      muscle tone;

      blood pressure;

      body temperature;

      breathing rhythm.

    Involuntary actions:

    • paralytic miosis (permanently dilated pupil);

      local or generalized convulsions;

      acts of urination and defecation.

Forecast

The prognosis of the outcome of a stroke in a stage III coma (atonic coma) is "poor" or "lethal". The basis of the medical decision is the absence of vital signs of the patient's habitus.

A lethal prognosis of the outcome of a stroke can also be in the case of:

    Extensive bleeding with severe hormetonic syndrome (attacks of increased muscle tone in the initial stages of coma);

    Gross respiratory failure;

    Hyperthermia above 40-42 degrees;

    Repeated stroke with severe residual effects (paralysis, dementia disorders);

    Stroke on the background of oncology in the incurable (hopeless) stage.

A favorable outcome is possible with:

    Transient ischemic attacks (pre-stroke state);

    Small strokes (micro strokes);

    Timely treatment of certain types of stroke in the period earlier than 3-6 hours after the onset of the first signs of the disease.

What to do, how to recover after a stroke?

The recovery period for men and women takes approximately the same time. Adaptation depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. The recovery period after a microstroke passes quickly, patients return to a relatively normal existence within two to three months. With extensive strokes, rehabilitation is long or lifelong.

It is desirable to involve in the rehabilitation of specialists in the field of neurology, massage, manual therapy, speech therapists, nutritionists. Separate stages of rehabilitation are possible both in a hospital, outpatient clinic and sanatorium, as well as at home.

During the rehabilitation period, patients who have had a massive stroke are shown:

    Electrical stimulation with sinusoidal currents;

    Magnetotherapy;

    Electrophoresis with oculo-occipital location of electrodes;

    Ozokeritotherapy.

To normalize motor and sensory functions, a combination of massage, manual therapy and acupuncture is recommended. Restoration of neuropsychological functions takes place in the classroom on an outpatient / home basis with an individual speech therapist or a group method, it takes a year or more.

During the rehabilitation period, the following drugs are indicated:

    With ischemic stroke - actovegin, berlition, instenon, gliatilin;

    With hemorrhagic stroke - actovegin and gliatilin;

    To correct muscle tone - mydocalm and sirdalud;

    As antidepressants - trittiko, coaxil, stimuloton.

Stroke Prevention Products

As of July 2011, the world's population was already more than 7 billion, of which about a billion are at risk for stroke. In every six seconds, one person dies from a stroke on the planet.

Hearing this data, one has to think about whether it is possible to reduce the number of deaths from stroke. Although the number of strokes is on the rise, researchers point out that in 85% of such cases, it is possible to prevent a stroke by making changes to your daily lifestyle and diet. It is necessary not to abuse alcohol, include fresh vegetables and fruits in your daily menu, preferably homemade, which do not contain various chemical additives, and you should also exercise regularly.

In the prevention of stroke, an important role is played by timely drug prevention of thrombosis, which is prescribed after an appropriate examination of the patient. It may include vitamin therapy and drugs that improve the rheological properties (viscosity, fluidity) of the blood, for example, the drug Thrombo ACC. It contains acetylsalicylic acid, while the tablets are covered with an enteric film coating that dissolves exclusively in the intestine, which reduces the risk of complications from the gastrointestinal tract and improves the tolerability of the drug during long-term therapy. Acetylsalicylic acid increases blood flow and thus prevents the formation of blood clots inside the vessels, which serves as a prevention of thrombosis and its fatal complication - stroke.

Fish is a food that, according to studies, eating at least once a week will help prevent a stroke. The fact is that a stroke most often occurs due to the presence of bad habits in a person: alcohol abuse, smoking, constant overeating. And fish contains substances such as omega-3, which lead to a decrease in the risk of stroke. These are polyunsaturated fatty acids, they contribute to the stabilization of blood pressure, and also lower blood levels.

- a drink containing antioxidants that prevent the accumulation of cholesterol in the body, thereby stopping the formation of blood clots in the human brain. Drinking three to four cups of coffee during the day reduces the risk of having a stroke by 17%. However, coffee is useful only in limited quantities. So, for example, if you drink more than seven cups during the day, the risk of blood clots will be reduced by only 7%. Also keep in mind that we are talking only about the benefits of natural coffee!

Pears and apples are fruits whose flesh is white, due to a substance that helps the body prevent stroke. This is proven by the data of one of the studies, which involved 20,069 people aged 40 years. The study lasted 10 years, during which scientists recorded 233 cases of stroke. As a result, it was concluded that the risk of suffering a stroke was 52% less in those people who ate fruits and vegetables that had white flesh. However, despite the results of various studies, I would like to note that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables in any case increases and strengthens the body's natural defenses.


Education: In 2005, she completed an internship at the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov and received a diploma in Neurology. In 2009, she completed her postgraduate studies in the specialty "Nervous Diseases".

The most dangerous cerebrovascular disease, one of the leading causes of death in the world, is stroke. Almost everyone knows what it is, but, unfortunately, not many can not get lost on impact and provide first aid correctly. Pathology is accompanied by an acute violation of cerebral circulation, damage to blood vessels and the central nervous system. If the normal blood flow is disturbed, the nutrition of the nerve cells of the brain worsens, and this is very dangerous, since the organ works due to the constant supply of oxygen and glucose to it. Translated from the Latin language, stroke (insulto) means “jump, jump, blow, onslaught, attack”.

Ischemic stroke (the most common form of pathology, up to 85% of all cases) occurs as a result of the closure of the lumen of the vessel that feeds the brain with a thrombus, atherosclerotic plaque, or its narrowing as a result of severe spasm.

Hemorrhagic stroke (the old name is "apoplexy stroke", up to 15% of all cases) occurs due to rupture of the vessel wall due to sharp fluctuations in blood pressure or pathological changes in the vascular wall, which leads to spontaneous hemorrhage into the brain tissue.

Regardless of the nature of the occurrence, a stroke is a dynamic process, in connection with this, the sooner the patient is provided with qualified medical care, the greater the likelihood of recovery. If the brain receives less oxygen for a long period of time, then destructive changes occur in its tissues (at first, reversible, and then no longer).

The death or necrosis of the cells of the affected part of the brain leads to a violation of the functions for which it is responsible (motor, vision, speech, etc.). In the immediate vicinity of the affected area (penumbra zone) there are cells that, with adequate therapy, can take on the functions of dead ones.

Stroke - what is it? Causes of the disease.

Pathology develops as a complication of the underlying disease of the heart and blood vessels, as well as under the influence of adverse factors:

  • atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels;
  • thromboembolism;
  • hypertension (arterial hypertension);
  • rheumatic affections of the heart;
  • myocardial infarction;
  • heart surgery;
  • constant stress;
  • vascular tumors;
  • taking certain types of drugs;
  • alcoholism;
  • smoking;
  • cerebral artery aneurysm.

Every person needs to know the signs of the disease in order to respond in time to a brain catastrophe and call an ambulance team for themselves or their loved ones. Knowing the basic symptoms can save someone's life.

What external signs can be used to determine that a person has had a stroke?

If a person has at least one of the signs, then seeking medical help should be made as soon as possible. Such a simple test will help you understand in a minute that you probably had a stroke and instantly call an ambulance. Neurosurgeons argue that if the patient is helped in the first 3 hours, the consequences of an attack will be eliminated or minimized.

Stroke symptoms and first aid

  • decreased sensitivity in the limbs, muscle weakness (occurs in the right or left side of the body, depending on which part of the brain the hemorrhage occurred);
  • twitching (convulsions) in one side of the body;
  • problems with speech and understanding other people's words;
  • double vision and other visual field disorders;
  • salivation, problems with the swallowing reflex;
  • acute headache;
  • vomiting, retraction of the tongue;
  • a sharp jump in blood pressure;
  • dizziness, swaying, loss of orientation and balance;
  • fainting, in which the pupils do not react to light;
  • facial asymmetry;
  • redness of the skin (purple color);
  • tension and slowing of the pulse;
  • paralysis of the limbs;
  • cold sweat;
  • hearing loss;
  • puffiness of the face;
  • rapid deep breathing, sometimes with wheezing;
  • increased body temperature (in some cases).

Before the arrival of the ambulance team, the patient is laid on his back, on a flat surface, a small roller is placed under his head. Outerwear is removed, windows are opened in the room to let in fresh air. Ice or a cold compress is placed on the head, mustard plasters are placed on the soles and calves. It is desirable to control the indicators of pulse and blood pressure, to observe the breathing of a person. In case of vomiting, care must be taken that the patient does not choke. It is also important not to let the tongue sink in.

Stroke prevention

To prevent a stroke or a second attack, the patient is prescribed daily blood-thinning drugs and statins, drugs that lower the level of dangerous cholesterol.

In the presence of vascular pathologies, timely therapy and compliance with all the recommendations of the attending physician, such as:

  • Quitting smoking and drinking alcohol is an important preventive measure. Alcohol and nicotine significantly worsen the condition of the heart and blood vessels.
  • A healthy lifestyle, walking, physical activity and diet significantly minimize the risk of stroke. Fried and fatty foods are removed from the diet, the consumption of table salt is reduced to 1-2 grams per day, the amount of animal fats is limited, partially replacing them with vegetable oils.
  • It is useful to take dietary supplements with lecithin, omega-3 PUFAs, vitamins and microelements, Gotu Kola and Ginkgo biloba plants. Complex drugs with antioxidants work well to prevent stroke.
  • Mental gymnastics activates the connections between the neurons of the brain. That is why it is so useful to play chess, learn a foreign language, solve logical problems, memorize passages from prose and poetry.

Unfortunately, even with timely hospitalization and medical and other therapy, stroke complications are possible: bedsores (in immobilized patients), vascular thrombosis, pneumonia, paralysis, coma. In severe cases, a stroke is fatal.

Traditional therapy for stroke

Depending on the type of stroke and the degree of brain damage, drug treatment or surgery is performed. In ischemic stroke, measures are taken to remove the thrombus: taking thrombolytics or surgery. In hemorrhagic stroke, measures are taken to reduce intracranial pressure by removing the hematoma or a course of intravenous and intramuscular injections is prescribed, including antihypertensive and hemostatic drugs, antioxidants, antispasmodics, citicolines, drugs that activate metabolic processes in tissues, improve trophism and accelerate the regeneration of brain cells , etc.

During the rehabilitation period, the neurologist and the therapist prescribe the medications necessary in each individual case. The rehabilitator, on the other hand, is engaged in the restoration of lost skills, performing a complex of exercise therapy with the patient, doing massages. In case of speech disorders, a speech therapist deals with the patient. There are special rehabilitation centers where stroke patients are gradually returned to normal life, using an integrated approach and a variety of techniques.

In the future, stroke patients undergo maintenance therapy in a hospital every six months to prevent a recurrence of the disease.

Folk recipes for recovery after a stroke

Procedures with medicinal plants and the intake of formulations prepared according to traditional medicine recipes begin during the rehabilitation period, when the acute manifestations of a stroke have passed.

Rosehip cinnamon

The fruits and roots of the plant are used to prepare a decoction, which is introduced into general baths in the treatment of paralysis and paresis. The course is 25 procedures, the broth is poured into water at a temperature of 37-38 ° C.

Honey + garlic

A healing combination to improve the condition of blood vessels, lower blood pressure, normalize cholesterol metabolism, improve capillary permeability and the state of the vascular network. The patient is prescribed 1 clove of garlic and a teaspoon of honey twice a day before meals.

Oil infusion of bay leaf

The medicine helps with paralysis. Pour 30 g of evergreen laurel leaves in a dark glass bottle with a glass of vegetable oil (any), close with a ground cork, leave for 60 days in a warm, shaded place, shaking daily. Strained oil is rubbed into paralyzed places or used as a massage composition.

A stroke is a terrible pathology that does not pass without a trace. More than 80% of stroke survivors are permanently disabled. Stroke consequences and causes of the disease. How to protect yourself and your loved ones from death and disability. When you need to call a doctor, and what actions to take so that the attack does not cause serious damage to the body.

Description of pathology

What is a stroke? Many of us have heard this name more than once, but each person is sure that this disease will bypass him. Someone thinks that he is too young, others are sure that this is the lot of chronically ill people, and still others believe that this disease can only appear in those who have a hereditary predisposition.

Today, doctors say that yes, indeed, pathology most often affects the elderly and heredity also plays a role, and chronic diseases can cause a stroke. However, experts also argue that no one is immune from this dangerous disease. Increasingly, a stroke overtakes young and at first glance quite healthy people. What is the cause and why is a stroke dangerous?

The cause of a cerebral stroke lies in various vascular diseases. It is the blood vessels that supply the brain with oxygen. Their network is distributed throughout the body, and they must be strong, elastic and clean. If there is a narrowing of the lumen of the vessel, for various reasons, pressure on the wall begins, and it may not withstand and burst. This is how the brain bleeds. Its consequences are most often severe and disrupt important bodily functions.

Another type of stroke is necrosis of brain cells due to blockage of cerebral vessels from oxygen starvation.

The most dangerous stroke with hemorrhage. With a hemorrhage, a hematoma is formed, and it is she who becomes the cause of death and disability of a person. The hematoma grows and compresses the nerve endings that are concentrated in the brain. The brain stops functioning normally. A person may lose speech, motor activity, the ability to breathe independently. The same consequences can develop with necrosis of brain cells, however, ischemic stroke (in which the vessel does not break, but only clogs) is considered the most favorable in terms of prognosis and rehabilitation for the patient.

More about types of stroke

Today, doctors distinguish three main types of stroke. It depends on the type of life expectancy after a stroke and the possibility of maximum recovery after an attack. Types of stroke directly depend on the nature of damage to blood vessels and brain cells, namely:

subarachnoid stroke. The causes of this form of pathology lie in craniocerebral injuries or ruptured aneurysms. Hemorrhage in this case is localized between the soft and arachnoid membranes of the brain. Mortality from this form of pathology is quite high and reaches 50%. However, this type of pathology is quite rare. Complications after it are the most severe. It develops instantly or within a few hours after the injury.

hemorrhagic stroke. The causes of this form of stroke are rupture of the vessel and hemorrhage in the brain. Mortality from such attacks reaches 33%. However, the degree of disability is very high. In this case, hemorrhage and subsequent hematoma is localized in the ventricles and under the meninges.

An attack of this type develops rapidly and the patient can fall into a coma within a few minutes after feeling unwell.

Ischemic stroke. The attack develops from narrowing or blockage of the vessel. The causes of vasoconstriction vary from atherosclerosis to nervous tension. This is the most common form of stroke. Mortality from it reaches 15%. With timely hospitalization in patients, the prognosis for recovery is most often positive. An attack can develop for several days.

In addition, doctors distinguish an acute type of pathology, a microstroke, an extensive or spinal stroke. All these forms differ in the degree of damage and localization. Forecasts for each individual case are purely individual.

Risk factors

Despite the fact that stroke can develop in any patient nowadays, and even in young people, there are a number of risk factors that are most often present in patients with this diagnosis.

Causes of a stroke:

  • Age after 50 years.
  • The gender is male.
  • Heart diseases.
  • Arterial hypertension.
  • Constant nervous tension.
  • Having bad habits.
  • The presence of excess weight.
  • The presence of diabetes.
  • genetic predisposition.

It should be noted that the consequences of a cerebral stroke directly depend on the rate of hospitalization of the patient. Unfortunately, in our country, emergency hospitalization is observed only in 30% of the total number of patients with this diagnosis. Doctors are called when it becomes clear that the situation is critical and the patient is doing very badly. However, for example, an ischemic stroke can develop up to 3 days, and if the patient is taken to the hospital on the first day, his prognosis will be more favorable. Most often, people who lived alone are left without medical help.

Many relatives of patients ask how many years they live after a stroke. There is no single answer to this question. With timely assistance and the implementation of all the recommendations of the doctor, the patient can live for many more years, but it also depends on the age, as well as on the general health of the patient.

Consequences of an attack

A brain stroke invariably leads to negative consequences. In principle, there is no difference between the consequences of a stroke in women and what in men. The consequences of a stroke in men can be observed more often only for the reason that this pathology develops more often in males. The most dangerous complication of a stroke is a recurrent attack.

It is from him that about 40% of patients die in the first 30 days.

The consequences of an attack begin to appear from the first minutes of the impact. The patient experiences the following symptoms, which clearly indicate the development of a cerebral stroke:

  • Increasing pressure.
  • Increase in body temperature.
  • Reaction inhibition.
  • Seizures.
  • Sharp headache.
  • Loss of sensation in one side of the body.
  • Loss of orientation.
  • Memory loss.
  • Speech disorder.
  • Coma.

After stopping the attack, the patient may experience the following deviations:

Paralysis. The most common consequence of a stroke is paralysis on one side of the body. Paralysis develops from the side opposite to the localization of the pathology. With this violation, the patient can no longer do without outside help. He needs serious rehabilitation, which can last several years. Basic motor functions should be restored within a year, fine motor skills are restored much longer.

Loss of sensation. This deviation is characterized by a loss of sensation in the muscles of the body. Recovery should be accompanied by exercises to restore motor activity.

With this consequence of a stroke, exercise therapy and other methods of rehabilitation are actively used.

Speech disorders. Recovery of speech skills depends on the specific impairment. Speech problems occur in about a third of stroke patients. A person may experience the following speech problems:

  • Impaired understanding of speech.
  • Violation of one's own speech.
  • Difficulties with the choice of words.
  • Violation of both understanding and speech reproduction.
  • Complete impairment of speech perception and reproduction.

Recovery of speech functions should begin as early as possible. For this, the patient is recommended special classes with a speech therapist. The recovery time is quite long. As a rule, speech is restored after a few years.

In addition to these consequences, the patient may experience complications such as:

  • Muscle hypotension.
  • Central pain syndrome.
  • Trophic pathologies.
  • pathology of vision.
  • Difficulties in swallowing.
  • Nervous system disorders.
  • Impaired coordination.
  • Epilepsy.

All these disorders require long-term treatment. Often the care of patients falls on the shoulders of relatives, and it is they who must control the implementation of all the doctor's recommendations. How long people live after a stroke depends largely on the care of relatives. The main task of relatives and doctors is to prevent a recurrent attack and to rehabilitate the patient, which should begin as early as possible.

Recovery forecasts

After a stroke, the prognosis for life is purely individual. Many relatives also want to know when a complete recovery of the patient is possible. Doctors say that rehabilitation is influenced by many factors, including the desire of the patient himself. The most favorable forecasts for recovery are predicted under the following factors:

  • Young age.
  • early hospitalization.
  • Stroke of moderate and mild severity.
  • Localization of stroke in the vertebral arteries.
  • Complete care.
  • Properly organized rehabilitation.

Forecasts for life

Survival prognosis is the main thing that relatives expect from doctors when their loved one is admitted to the hospital with a stroke. Stroke how long do they live after an attack, and what does this prognosis depend on? Most often, doctors do not give specific predictions. The main thing, they say, is to prevent a second attack within 30 days. Then a person must live for a year, and only after this period the risk of death gradually decreases.

Recurrent stroke is the most common cause of patient death.

The following factors influence the development of a relapse:

  • Patient's age.
  • Late admission to the hospital.
  • The presence of chronic diseases before the attack.
  • Poor quality care.
  • Failure to follow the recommendations of doctors.
  • Stress and nervous tension.

Doctors say that if negative factors are excluded as much as possible and a competent approach to the treatment and rehabilitation of the patient, the prognosis for life can be favorable. Some patients live a long life, gradually recovering and learning to live again. Of course, there are more chances to survive at a young age, but even older people sometimes show such a desire to live that it surprises even doctors.

Thus, it can be argued that the predictions depend on how much the brain has been damaged, on the patient's age, care for him and his desire to live. It is with the last point that problems often arise. Elderly people do not want to fight, they do not want to become a burden for their relatives. In this case, you need to consult psychologists and support relatives. Only by reviving the desire to be healthy in a person, you can count on his speedy recovery.

In contact with

Official medicine does not have such a definition of the disease as a small stroke, despite the fact that this terminology is often used. Consider first what a stroke is, and then move on to its small form. Stroke, translated from Latin means an attack, i.e. acute circulatory disorders in the brain. It is divided into two types:

  • hemorrhagic - vessel ruptures, aneurysms on the vessel wall, cerebral hemorrhage. Under blood pressure, an intracranial blood tumor occurs;
  • ischemic - occurs when the blood vessels are blocked. Causes - blood clots formed during vasoconstriction or particles of plaques, vasospasm. An ischemic stroke is much more severe than a hemorrhagic one, due to the gradual effect - at first there are not severe headaches, gradually increasing, up to loss of consciousness. The terrible thing is that the attack lasts for several minutes and the patient comes to his senses. Upon the arrival of the doctors, he is already regaining the ability to speak normally. This condition can be repeated several times and waking up in the morning, a person may feel that he has paralysis. Ischemic stroke is the most common. According to statistics, 80% of all stroke cases are ischemic.

small stroke, reversible stroke - the same hemorrhages in the brain, but less pronounced, these are ischemic attacks of prolonged action. In this case, the restoration of normal neurological performance can occur within 22 days. Contrary to the emphatically diminutive definition of the name, such a pathology as a small stroke requires close attention to health, a revision of one's lifestyle.

There is a prejudice that this disease mainly affects the elderly, due to the deterioration of blood vessels, but medical statistics confirm that a small stroke has begun to occur even in people under the age of 30.

Most people do not know what the signs of a small stroke are and do not associate characteristic symptoms with it, such as:

  • headache;
  • flickering in the eyes of white "flies";
  • nausea.

After all, these signs are typical in other pathologies. People may not pay serious attention to them and endure the disease in the previous mode of life, and this is fraught with the likelihood of repeated attacks in the future. A small stroke, although a reversible stroke, is a very serious disease - it poses a real threat to human life. According to medical data, after an illness, an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke develops within 3 years.

Microstroke and stroke - differences

Stroke Symptoms

Stroke, a cardiovascular disease, is well known to everyone. By affecting the vessels of the brain, it can cause irreversible complications in humans: paralysis of the body, loss of speech and visual functions, up to death.

Fact: every year in Russia, data are recorded on the excess of 400,000 stroke histories. According to medical statistics, death occurs in 35% of people affected by the disease.

small stroke- This is a reversible stroke, which also causes damage to the vessels of the brain, but with a small focal localization, as the name of the disease indicates. The main difference from a stroke is the duration of the attack and the degree of brain damage. The attack can last only a few minutes or during the day. After that, brain functions are partially or completely restored. Very often a person is struck by a microstroke, but goes unnoticed and the necessary treatment is not provided in a timely manner, which can gradually develop an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Since it does not cause extensive brain damage, the prognosis for a complete cure with the necessary course of therapy is very optimistic.

Small stroke symptoms

With our modern rhythm of life, disturbed ecology and not always proper nutrition, each person needs to know the main symptoms of such an ailment as a microstroke, which is characteristic of residents of large metropolitan areas.

You need to pay attention to the following signs:

  • numbness, wadding of the arms and legs, facial muscles, sometimes suddenly causing a complete loss of sensitivity and control over facial expressions.
  • weakness of the limbs, especially if the manifestation is unilateral.
  • incoordination, difficulty moving while walking or moving the limbs.
  • defocused vision - it is impossible to “cover” an object with both eyes.
  • sharp headaches that started suddenly.
  • speech failures: loss of intelligibility of pronunciation of words, a violation in the construction of complex phrases during a conversation.
  • photophobia, irritation from loud sounds.
  • nausea, up to vomiting.
  • goosebumps at normal body temperature.

A microstroke can occur simultaneously with an increase in blood pressure. Symptoms of the disease can be all at once or singly, but if there is a manifestation of at least a few, you should immediately contact a medical institution, but it is better to call an ambulance right away. Ischemic attacks of prolonged action have a rapid development, can last no longer than 30 minutes, in very rare cases dragging on for several hours. The symptoms are not stable, depending on the part of the affected brain. With blockage of blood vessels in the carotid artery, muscle weakness, sensory disturbances, or loss of visibility of one eye are possible. Blockage of the arteries of the spine - dizziness, weakness in the body, double vision.

Ischemic attacks of prolonged action have symptoms:

  • unsteady staggering gait during movement;
  • strangeness of body movements;
  • speech failures: slurred speech, difficulty in making sentences;
  • impaired sensation in the limbs;
  • uncontrolled emptying of the bladder;
  • severe dizziness;
  • violations of auditory, visual function, double vision;
  • impaired recognition of one's own body parts.

If a reversible stroke is determined in a timely manner and the necessary assistance is provided, the chances of a complete cure for the patient increase. For this, the time limit from the onset of an attack to the therapeutic effect should be in the range from three to six - during this period, impaired blood circulation in the brain will not cause irreversible consequences, and the possibility of restoring the body's functionality remains.

Risk group among people

Main risk group

The age limit of the incidence has become much younger, as shown by statistics, and has not determined the degree of risk by age for a long time.

The disease can equally affect both young people and the elderly. Among students, this disease has become often diagnosed - apparently due to increased emotional and physical stress during the periods of exams and preparation for them.

The risk group can include:

  • people suffering from pathologies such as hypertension, angina pectoris - an increase in blood pressure can be a major factor;
  • it may be a hereditary-genetic predisposition, therefore, if relatives had a history of ischemic, hemorrhagic stroke or myocardial infarction, it is necessary to be regularly observed by medical specialists;
  • patients with vascular diseases, prone to increased blood clotting, blood clots, thrombosis;
  • people with diabetes - sharp jumps in blood glucose can cause brain damage, so such patients need special medical supervision;
  • those who are overweight - prone to illness due to the frequent accompaniment of obesity with hypertension;
  • in the presence in the past of disorders caused by a failure of cerebral circulation, hypertensive crises, ischemic attacks, if there has already been an ischemic stroke;
  • leading an unhealthy lifestyle, abusing alcohol, smoking, taking drugs - these factors can provoke a disease already in a young body.

Fact: According to medical statistics, a microstroke is more common than in men in women with an age limit of 18 to 40 years. After the 60-year milestone, the ability to transfer the disease becomes the same for both sexes. In addition, the course of the disease is more severe in women than in male patients. Oral contraceptives, pregnancy with a pathological course, frequent migraines are provoking microstroke factors.

The disease can proceed unnoticed by the patient, provoking an ischemic stroke without treatment. Symptoms can often be attributed to fatigue, mental and physical overload, depression. However, the pathology is not always harmless and passes without a trace. It can disrupt memory, concentration, cause absent-mindedness of actions. Also, after the illness, aggressive behavior, a depressive state, increased tearfulness, and nervousness may appear. There are often cases in which, after a small stroke, a person is struck by an ischemic stroke within three days. In more than half of the cases of the disease, after it, patients continue to have ischemic attacks of prolonged action - their consequences are very difficult for a person.

Basic Treatments

To fully restore the functioning of the brain, therapy for a small stroke must be carried out within three hours from the onset of an attack. Six hours later, irreversible changes occur and the treatment will not have much effect.

Basically, the treatment consists in restoring blood circulation in the lesions of the brain. Under the supervision and supervision of a medical specialist, it is often recommended to take:

  • medicines that dilate blood vessels to improve blood flow ( self-medication is not allowed!);
  • means improving metabolism, vascular microcirculation;
  • drugs that inhibit the association of platelets, attachment to the vascular walls;
  • metabolism, for better oxygenation of the blood;
  • nootropic drugs to improve brain function.

A microstroke is treated strictly under the supervision of a doctor. Home treatment is provided only as a primary care until examination by a doctor. It is recommended to put a sick person on his back, put something under his head, lifting it up, try to calm him down, as a panic state will only aggravate the attack, open a window in the room to provide fresh air.

During recovery, after an illness, physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises are carried out. Recommended strict adherence to a healthy lifestyle, the selection of the right balanced diet. To avoid recurrence of attacks, you must constantly be observed by your doctor.

Fact: according to research by US scientists, the restorative effect of the brain when using pine cones has been proven.

Prevention of a microstroke

To reduce the risk of the disease, it is necessary to observe preventive measures:

  • controlling blood pressure is the most important of all measures, since the main cause of a microstroke is blood pressure jumps, you need to control your pressure level;
  • getting rid of addictions of bad habits improves the quality of life and reduces the risk of disease;
  • a balanced diet is also key among preventive measures;
  • moderate exercise helps to strengthen and tighten the body, as well as the vessels of the brain;
  • avoiding stressful situations, observing a sleep and rest regimen is also an effective guarantee of preventing a small stroke.

Microstroke is a disease of modern times. Pointwise affecting the vessels of the brain, the disease does not choose according to the age limit, it can occur in people with bad habits, in patients with diabetes, obesity, hypertension.

Despite the fact that a microstroke has a milder course of the disease than with a stroke, it is necessary to contact medical specialists in a timely manner in order to undergo successful treatment at an early stage of the development of vascular damage. Self-medication at home - they can be detrimental and lead to serious consequences.

The most important thing is to adhere to the right lifestyle - this is true for all people, of any age and gender. Compliance with all preventive rules, knowledge of the main manifestations of a stroke, a microstroke is vital for every person. It is possible that this knowledge will help save someone's life.