In the article, we find out whether it is possible to take alcohol after a stroke. A stroke is a pathological violation of the normal blood circulation of the brain. This condition can provoke the death of brain tissue, as there is oxygen starvation and nutritional deficiency. Stroke occurs due to the cessation or significant weakening of blood flow to a certain fraction of the brain.
Dysfunctional disorder
After the death of a certain number of cells of the nervous system, a dysfunctional disorder is observed in the body precisely in the area for which the dead tissue was responsible. As a result of a stroke, paralysis, impaired speech function and other serious consequences and complications occur. Against the background of vascular blockage, an ischemic type of stroke is observed, while with rupture of the arteries, the pathology is characterized as hemorrhagic.
Prevention
The main method for the prevention of stroke is to maintain certain indicators of the body at a normal level. We are talking about blood pressure, cholesterol, as well as giving up such bad habits as drinking and smoking.
Are stroke and alcohol compatible?
Alcohol as a risk factor
As a rule, when identifying the causes of a stroke, doctors pay special attention to risk factors that can affect blood circulation in the brain. A genetic predisposition, age over 55 years, the presence of overweight, etc. can affect the development of a stroke.
How are stroke and alcohol related? Among the factors provoking the disease, a special place is occupied by regular abuse of alcoholic beverages. This is due to the property of ethyl alcohol adversely affect the vascular system. Experts identify several reasons at once, which, against the background of alcohol abuse, can provoke some types of stroke. Against the background of alcoholism, blood vessels become fragile, arterial and capillary walls lose their elasticity and the likelihood of perforation increases.
Change in blood composition
Against the background of abuse of alcoholic beverages, the composition of the blood also changes, it acquires density and viscosity. The formed elements of the blood, including red blood cells, accumulate in one place and form growths, which leads to venous thrombosis. A similar phenomenon is accompanied by the closure of the lumen of the vessels that feed the brain.
Atherosclerotic vascular changes
Prolonged abuse of alcoholic beverages can provoke the development of atherosclerotic vascular changes due to the formation of plaques from cholesterol on the walls. Such growths can come off and move along the bloodstream, which can also lead to blockage.
In addition, other pathological processes in the body are often observed in alcoholics. Quite often, such patients are diagnosed with sharp jumps in blood pressure. This is due to the property of alcohol to expand the vascular lumen, which leads to a decrease in pressure. When the dose of ethanol taken increases, an increase in pressure is observed.
The walls of the vessels begin to contract sharply, which leads to a narrowing of the venous lumen, and the pressure in the arteries rises. All this leads to perforation of the vascular walls.
Harm to the heart muscle
In addition to the vascular system, alcohol also destroys the heart muscle. Over time, the transformation of muscles into adipose tissue occurs. As a result, the blood is not able to move through the vessels, which increases the likelihood of clogging.
The alcohol consumed in large quantities can affect the functioning of the organs of the hematopoiesis system. Specialists in the field of medicine claim that drinking alcohol negatively affects the functioning of the whole organism. Among other things, alcoholics are prone to diabetes, which, in turn, can lead to a stroke. You should not joke with alcohol.
The first symptoms of a stroke
A stroke occurs due to a malfunction in the blood supply to the vessels of the brain. As a harbinger of a stroke , a transient cerebrovascular accident or a transient ischemic attack appears. The main symptoms of such disorders are headache, weakness, and dizziness. In more severe cases, nausea and vomiting begins.
People often ask: "Can you drink alcohol with a stroke?" About it below.
Among women
The most common signs of a stroke in women are:
- A sharp loss of vision.
- Violation of coordination functions.
- Limb weakness.
- Violation of understanding of words and loss of speech function.
- Hypersensitivity.
- Increased intensity of the manifestation of these symptoms.
Quite often, a woman with a stroke manifests a number of nonspecific symptoms, which greatly complicates the diagnosis of the disease and does not make it possible to provide medical care on time.
In men
In men, a stroke is manifested by the following symptoms:
- Severe headache, in some cases accompanied by vomiting.
- Dizziness and weakness.
- Violation of visual and speech perception.
- Confusion.
If a stroke affects a certain part of the brain, then violations will occur in that part of the body for which this area was responsible.
Doctors identify a number of symptoms in which you should immediately call an ambulance crew. It is important to remember the time of onset of symptoms, as this will be of particular importance when choosing a therapeutic regimen. Simple tests for the presence of a stroke are:
- Please smile - against the background of a stroke, the smile is distorted.
- Ask to keep your hands up. As a result of muscle weakness, this will be difficult to do.
- Ask a person to make a simple sentence. A patient with a stroke will speak slowly and with hesitation, resembling a drunken speech.
- Please stick out your tongue. In a stroke, the tip of the tongue deviates towards the affected area of the brain.
In ischemic stroke, the symptoms are similar to the hemorrhagic type, but their duration is several minutes.
So, are stroke and alcohol compatible?
More harm or good
Many patients are wondering: "Is it possible to drink alcohol with a stroke?" Contrary to popular belief about the harmful effects of alcohol on the body, including the vascular system, not all types of alcoholic drinks are really that harmful. In some cases, drinking alcohol after a stroke can have a positive effect on a person’s condition. The main thing is to follow a few rules:
- After a stroke, alcohol is allowed to be consumed only in strictly limited quantities.
- Before you start drinking alcohol, you need to consult a specialist.
What kind of alcohol is possible after a stroke? A small amount of light dry wine can beneficially affect the work of internal organs, as well as improve blood quality by slightly diluting it, which will help to avoid blood clots and will help normalize blood circulation. The standard dose of alcohol after a stroke is 150 ml of dry red wine.
So is it possible or not alcohol after a stroke?
Against the background of hypertension, wine can be consumed no more than twice a week, which contributes to the following positive aspects in the body:
- Prevention of coronary heart disease.
- Improving the vascular system.
- Normalization of fibrinogen synthesis.
- Prevention of cholesterol plaque formation.
A special place among alcoholic beverages allowed after a stroke is allocated to cognac. Every day it is allowed to consume no more than 50 g of the drink, but so that this does not coincide with the intake of medications. This amount is enough to increase brain activity and restore pressure in the arteries.
Alcohol after a stroke: consequences
A hemorrhagic type of stroke is always accompanied by the development of bleeding inside the brain. This is due to a violation of the strength and elasticity of the vascular walls located in the brain. In addition, there is oxygen deficiency and nutrient deficiency in the tissues, due to narrowing of the lumen.
Patients undergoing rehabilitation after a stroke need to understand how alcohol will affect the body as a whole and the functioning of individual organs and systems.
Are stroke and alcohol compatible? The consequences are of interest to many patients. If we are talking about a large amount of alcohol, then this can cause various pathological processes, including:
- The destruction of the centers of the brain that are responsible for the process of narrowing or expansion of blood vessels.
- Increased pressure in the arteries.
- Decreased blood flow, vascular blockage and a possible relapse of stroke.
In addition, the consequence of drinking alcohol after a stroke can be an increase in blood cholesterol, which significantly increases body weight. If you drink alcohol uncontrollably and in large quantities, you can get a second stroke, the course and complications of which will be much harder than in the first case.
The compatibility of stroke with alcohol is very relative.
Forecast
The prognosis of survival after a stroke is favorable only if the patient strictly complies with all the prescriptions of doctors regarding alcohol consumption. Otherwise, life after a stroke may not last even two years.
Alcohol after rehabilitation
Quite often, patients after a stroke completely refuse to drink alcohol, returning to a bad habit after the completion of the rehabilitation period.
For the body to fully recover from a stroke, it takes at least one year. However, the end of this period does not mean that the patient can begin to live as before and drink alcohol in the same quantities as before the stroke. The best option would be to obtain additional specialist advice, which is likely to suggest delaying the return to alcohol for some time.
Conclusion
Most doctors are of the opinion that after a stroke it is better to give up drinking alcohol for life. This is due to the fact that, in essence, problems with blood vessels and alcohol consumption are incompatible. Traditional medicine, on the contrary, considers the use of certain alcoholic beverages appropriate, but strictly limits their number.