One of the main causes of mortality in Russia is a brain stroke. The consequences of such a disease are extremely unfavorable, even fatal. The reasons are vascular damage due to improper lifestyle and stress. If you are among smokers and are overweight, it is worth considering and taking measures so as not to fall into the number of stroke survivors.
What is a stroke? And are the consequences for the victims really so dire? We will explain in detail the answers to these and many other questions.
Stroke
Although people of all ages are susceptible to the disease, an attack most often occurs in those over 60 years old. The risk increases if a person smokes or eats a lot of junk food - fast food.
If the victim receives qualified help directly in the hospital within 4 hours after the seizure, then the chances of success in treatment are high. This is the period of the therapeutic “window” when timely measures save lives and prevent even more severe damage to the synapses of the brain. Then the patient, if he was young and healthy before that, after a while can completely return to a full active life and even work.
But many, unfortunately, do not understand how serious the stroke is and do not call an ambulance soon after the attack. Therefore, the majority of survivors (almost 75%) remain confined to a wheelchair until the last.
Types of stroke. Effects
Stroke is distinguished between hemorrhagic and ischemic and subarachnoid hemorrhage. All of them are very dangerous and subsequently lead to a clear deterioration in health. A person becomes weaker, works, if he can, then not for long and not at full strength. Hemorrhagic is more serious and often leads to disability of the victim. Death occurs in 33% of cases. Ischemic stroke (AI) accounts for almost 75% of cases. Mortality from it is approximately 15%.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs mainly after traumatic brain injury or in a disease such as a vascular aneurysm. Then blood from the vessels flows into the space between the soft membranes of the brain and the arachnoid (arachnoid) membrane. The mortality rate for such a stroke is the highest - 50% of the victims.
Ischemic stroke. Causes
The cause of AI is a blockage in the blood vessels of the brain. In most cases, clogging of the main arteries is due to malnutrition and lack of exercise. Cholesterol plaques grow on the arteries gradually, and the less space is left, the worse the blood flows to the brain.
Accordingly, the body works worse and quickly gets tired. The immediate cause, in addition to atherosclerosis, is sometimes diabetes mellitus or heart problems.
When complete blockage occurs, oxygen completely ceases to flow to the brain tissue. And brain cells - neurons, by the way, are very sensitive to a lack of oxygen, and immediately begin to die. After a while, the blood clot dissolves, but these few minutes of lack of nutrition in the tissues are enough to start irreversible changes in the structure of the brain. If the blood clot is serious and cannot resolve naturally, the artery does not withstand and bursts.
In ischemic stroke, the consequences are: coma, paralysis of one part of the body or both, immobility of the head, vision problems and aphasia - inability to speak. Aphasia occurs when the temporal lobes of the brain are affected. If the posterior occipital part suffers, blindness occurs. Very rarely, the cerebellum, which is responsible for coordination of movements and walking, is affected in a person.
Hemorrhagic stroke
Another type of stroke is hemorrhagic. In this stroke, hematomas occur, which must be removed as soon as possible surgically. The risk of death from this stroke is higher than from the ischemic, and the consequences are even more serious. Often it is a direct consequence of ischemic stroke, when the walls of the vessels do not withstand blood pressure.
Such a hemorrhage is characterized by the fact that the blood vessels rupture abruptly and blood flows directly into the tissue.
There are several types of cerebral hemorrhages:
- subarachnoid;
- subdural;
- intracerebral;
- intraventricular.
Vascular ruptures often occur in patients with aneurysm of blood vessels, hypertension, or in those who smoke too often. Excessive physical or psychological stress also affects and can even cause a stroke in young people 20 to 30 years old.
Stroke of the left hemisphere of the brain. Effects
So, the vessels could not stand it, and as a result the cells of the left side of the brain were damaged. What does this threaten? What does a person feel?
- There may be problems with understanding speech, or it becomes difficult to pronounce words.
- Difficulties with the account, a person may lose the ability to logical constructions.
- Paralysis of the right side of the body.
- Changes in the psyche are growing - excessive caution, depression.
Paralysis is most often irreversible. You can support the body, do exercises, work with a psychologist. But after a stroke, especially a severe severe one, there is practically no chance of a full recovery.
Right brain and brain stem
When a brain stroke occurred in the right lobe, the consequences are as follows:
- paralysis (full or partial) of the left side;
- blind spots appear in the eyes on the left;
- impulsiveness and emotional instability as manifestations of mental disorders;
- problems with orientation in space.
Here, the consequences also depend on in which part of the hemisphere a blockage (or hemorrhage) occurred - in the frontal, parietal temporal or occipital. If the brain stem itself is affected, where the deep zones responsible for breathing, pressure, food swallowing and heartbeat are localized.
These zones are the most protected. Nevertheless, a severe hemorrhagic stroke (its consequences are unpredictable) can affect deep areas too. This threatens instant death.
Extensive stroke
With extensive AI, there are many affected areas. At the same time, several areas of the brain or one, but large and important area remain without oxygen. Affected neurons die within a few minutes, and the remaining neurons do not have time to replace their functions. That is why this damage to the vessels of the brain is so dangerous.
How is an extensive stroke manifested? Consequences, chances of recovery - these issues torment relatives. In fact, the consequences are very difficult to predict. The most fatal is hemorrhagic extensive stroke. The number of deaths is more than 80%. Accordingly, the statistics give a small chance of survival - only 20%.
The prognosis worsens if the patient has previously had a microstroke or hypertensive crisis; there is diabetes. Things are worse if the patient does not like sports and has a negative attitude. Conversely, a mobile lifestyle and a positive mood contribute to a speedy recovery.
Risk group
Hypertensive patients and people with arrhythmias after 55 years are most at risk. And also those who have older relatives in the family have suffered a stroke or have died due to this illness should also take care of themselves. The disease itself is not inherited, but relatives may have a predisposition to hemorrhages.
All smokers and alcohol abusers are also at risk. If a person has diabetes or hypertension, you need to constantly monitor the pressure and gradually switch to a healthy diet.
In 12% of cases after the first stroke, a second attack, a stronger one, can follow. Therefore, it is better for those at risk to check their vessels in advance and find out in which condition they are in order to take safety measures in time.
Thrombus of blood vessels in the elderly
Ischemic stroke more often occurs in older people. Approximately 35% of people die in the acute period, and another 10-12% die within one year.
What are the chances of recovery? What are the implications? Of course, unfavorable. Those who have suffered from circulatory disorders of the blood vessels of the brain at a young age have very good chances. In addition, the modern level of medicine allows you to quickly operate on a person and eliminate a blood clot so that the blood circulates again.
The consequences of a stroke in old age are the most deplorable - it is complete paralysis, heart failure and death.
However, those old people who throughout their life never smoked and ate more or less properly, suffer a stroke much easier. After properly organized rehabilitation, they learn to walk again and will soon return to normal life.
Treatment during the therapeutic window
How to help the injured if the ambulance has not arrived yet? The main thing if a person fell is to immediately put him on his side. In case of vomiting, he will not suffocate in this position. Put the victim so that the neck and head are exactly level. Open all the windows in the building. The patient's oxygenation is impaired, and he needs more fresh air. Oxygenation is the saturation of the whole body with necessary oxygen.
If a person is conscious and asks to drink, do not give water, as in some patients swallowing is sometimes impaired.
The choice of treatment methods is affected by the age of the victim, the presence of concomitant serious diseases and the amount of damage in the brain. If no more than 4 hours have passed after II, then intravenous administration of alteplase is performed. In the first 48 hours, acetylsalicylic acid is sometimes prescribed as an antiplatelet substance.
After a hemorrhagic stroke, the consequences are very life-threatening, so within a few hours you need to open the skull and remove the hematomas.
As a surgical treatment for blood clots, mechanical thrombectomy is used. It makes sense to perform the operation if no more than 8 hours have passed after the artery is blocked.
Sometimes perform hemicraniectomy. This treatment gives good results and a large percentage of survivors after surgery for 80 days.
Stroke. Effects. Victim recovery
After the patient with a stroke was discharged from the hospital, he is entitled to a rehabilitation course in a special center. A brain stroke, the consequences of which may be mild, is still a very dangerous disease. If you do not follow, as expected, the patient’s condition after a stroke, the second and even third stroke can “finish off” the patient. Therefore, the patient needs to do certain exercises, work with a speech therapist, if there is aphasia.
And you also need to ensure that bedsores do not form, and prevent muscle contractures when a person is completely immobilized. But if, after a relatively weak ischemic stroke, the consequences did not really affect motor activity, then there are chances to recover quickly.
Several methods have been developed to restore normal mobility:
- Reflexotherapy - is prescribed for spastic hemiparesis.
- Exarta Technology. It combines sensory-motor training and neuromuscular activation.
- PNF method. Classes help to distribute the load on the muscles, relieve spastic pain. The method improves the posture and coordination of the movements of the victim.
- Kinesthetics - help patients in the restoration of lost movement capabilities. Re-learning simple skills in moving arms, elbows, feet.
Kinesitherapy is the main rehabilitation method for ischemic stroke. The consequences after exercise are quickly minimized. With its help, a person will eventually be able to provide for himself in the apartment, cook and clean up after himself.
Ergotherapy is a common method of restoring mobility abroad. This method is similar to occupational therapy, but the effectiveness is greater. In Russia, only in some expensive rehabilitation centers such classes are held.
Exercise therapy and nutrition in the post-rehabilitation period
Without physically regulated by the physician, the patient's condition will worsen. It is necessary that the muscles work at least a little, blood circulation in the tissues does not deteriorate. Relatives of the patient quickly need to determine the center, where during this period they will take care of their loved ones. It is best to contact those centers where there is a specialized technique for restoring walking, and qualified neuropsychologists work.
Now let's talk about the main stage of the treatment of the consequences of a stroke. During the year, while the main recovery period lasts, you need to make every effort to recover. Memory and speech need to be trained daily with a neuropsychologist. For hands, working with rubber rings is useful. Exercises to bend and extend the knees and elbows are done with the help of assistants. Mandatory exercises for the eyes. Every day you need to train the movements of the eyeballs. When the vessels of the eyes are affected, surgery may first be required.
Physiotherapy is indispensable in this period. The patient can be spared massage, but not more than 10 - 20 minutes. Balneological procedures are as useful as massage. But with a patient there should be support staff.
It is great if you can go to the rehabilitation center near the sea or the forest, where it is possible to breathe fresh air. It is important to eat fully, efficiently, but it is advisable to refuse meat, at least for the time of rehabilitation. Go all the way to fish, poultry and seafood.
In the residual recovery period, when a year has passed after an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, physical exercises to maintain muscle tone must continue to be done. In addition, you should adhere to a strict diet and walk a lot on the street. Daily walks and exercises will not let you lose heart and become depressed.
Risk of stroke. Prevention
So, we see how dangerous a brain stroke is. The consequences of a strike sometimes cross out the whole future of a person. All those at risk, and not only them, need to think in time about proper nutrition and in general about a way of life. Excessive stress at work, bad habits, stress - these factors pretty exhaust the body. After 60 years, you need to quit smoking, if this has not been done before.
It is important to undergo an examination every year when a microstroke was already present in the past. More walks, communication, healthy vegetable food and less stress, lack of sleep can be recommended to people who are prone to hemorrhage. As we found out, the consequences after a stroke are extremely dire. It would be right to do prevention, not treatment, because rehabilitation after a stroke is extremely long, painful and expensive.