October 29-World Stroke Day

This day was first celebrated in 2004, when the World Health Organization declared stroke a global epidemic. This initiative of WHO and partners is dedicated to the dissemination of information about such a common and dangerous disease as stroke. To this day, this disease remains one of the main causes of death and disability both in the world and in Russia. Vascular diseases account for more than half of the deaths, with about a fifth of them occurring in people of working age.

In Russia, the death rate from stroke is one of the highest in the world, about 200,000 people die every year, and the same number remain disabled. According to the National Stroke Registry, 31 percent of people who have had the disease need outside help, 20 percent are unable to walk on their own, and only eight percent of survivors are able to return to their previous jobs.

Very often, neither the patients themselves, nor the people who surround them, do not even suspect that they have a stroke. But the further life and health of a person depends on the correct and rapid "recognition" of the disease and the provision of first aid.

In Russia, at the initiative of a group of relatives of patients and the National Association for the Fight against Stroke (NABI), the interregional fund for assistance to relatives of stroke patients "ORBI" was established in 2006. This public organization trains relatives of patients in the basics of care, provides them with information about medical and rehabilitation centers, and conducts educational campaigns for the general population.

What is a stroke?

A stroke is a blood circulation disorder in the brain caused by a blockage or rupture of blood vessels. It is a condition where a blood clot – a blood clot-or blood from a ruptured vessel disrupts blood flow to the brain. Lack of oxygen and glucose leads to the death of brain cells and impaired motor functions, speech or memory.

What happens

Three – quarters of all cases are ischemic stroke. This term refers to a condition in which a blood clot clogs a vessel and blocks blood flow to a certain part of the brain.

Usually, a blood clot forms somewhere in the peripheral vessels of the body, breaks off and reaches the brain through the bloodstream. There it gets stuck in the small vessels of the brain and blocks the blood flow in them.

The second type of stroke – hemorrhagic-is much less common. It occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures.

If the vessel is located on the surface of the brain, the leaked blood fills the space between the brain and the skull. This is called subarachnoid bleeding. And if the vessel bursts in the deeper structures of the brain, the blood from it fills the surrounding tissues.

But the result of both types of bleeding is the same-a violation of blood flow to the nerve cells and the pressure of accumulated blood on the brain tissue.

Consequences of a stroke

Damage to a small area of the brain leads to small disorders – weakness of the limbs. Circulatory disorders in large areas of the brain cause paralysis and even death: the degree of damage depends not only on the scale, but also on the location of the stroke.

Many people who have suffered a stroke remain partially or completely paralyzed on one side of the body, there are violations of speech and control of the functions of urination and defecation. Intellectual abilities – memory, cognitive functions-also suffer.

Stroke symptoms

The onset of a stroke is usually asymptomatic. But after a few minutes, the brain cells deprived of nutrition begin to die, and the consequences of a stroke become noticeable.

Common symptoms of a stroke:

• sudden weakness in the face, arm, or leg, most often on one side of the body;
• sudden loss of consciousness, problems with speech or understanding speech;
• sudden vision problems in one or both eyes;
• sudden gait disturbance, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination;
• sudden severe headache for an unknown reason.

It is very important to immediately recognize its symptoms in order to call an ambulance as soon as possible. After all, the earlier treatment is started, the better a person recovers from a stroke.

Remember! The time it takes to restore blood flow in the artery after an ischemic stroke and stop the death of brain cells – the "therapeutic window" – is 6 hours. The earlier you seek medical attention, the more effective the treatment will be.

How to recognize a stroke

If you think you're seeing symptoms of a stroke, take a simple three-task test. If the completion of all three tasks is difficult, immediately call the ambulance team, immediately specifying that it is a suspected stroke.

What causes a stroke

• Blood clots that cause ischemic strokes usually form in arteries whose lumen is narrowed due to atherosclerotic plaques. These are deposits of proteins that transport cholesterol.
• Blood clots can form due to poor heart function or as a result of trauma that causes vascular ruptures in the extremities, abdominal or thoracic cavity.
• Hemorrhages are also caused by an increase in blood pressure – it leads to the rupture of small vessels in the brain.
• Another cause of stroke is the rupture of aneurysms, abnormally dilated areas of blood vessels. But this problem is often caused and aggravated by high blood pressure.

Key development factors

A stroke can affect anyone. Some risk factors, such as the development of an aneurysm or the appearance of a blood clot as a result of injury, are difficult to control. However, a significant number of factors are mainly due to lifestyle.

These factors include:

• high blood pressure;
• high cholesterol;
• diabetes;
• obesity and overweight;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• smoking;
• drug use;
• alcohol consumption.

In addition, stroke is more common in people over the age of 55 and those whose close relatives have already suffered from a stroke. In the age range from 45 to 55 years, stroke occurs twice as often in men as in women,

To understand whether there is a risk of stroke, complex studies are not needed. It is enough to monitor the condition of blood vessels and pressure, eat normally, do not smoke. You can get tested completely free of charge in Health Centers.

How to prevent it?

Stroke prevention is based on the basic principles of a healthy lifestyle.

• Know and control your blood pressure.
• Do not start smoking or give up smoking as early as possible.
• Add as little salt to your food as possible and avoid canned food and processed foods that contain too much salt.
• Monitor your cholesterol levels.
• Follow the basic principles of a healthy diet – eat more vegetables and fruits, avoid added sugar and saturated animal fat.
• Do not drink alcohol. The risk of stroke is highest in the first hours after drinking alcohol.
• Exercise regularly. Even moderate physical activity-walking or cycling-reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, including stroke