How to prevent stroke in men: risk factors. Drug prevention of cerebral stroke in women (men) and is it possible to prevent (prevent) folk remedies

Cardiovascular pathologies occupy the first place among diseases leading to disability or death. Every third patient is prone to stroke. There are recommendations and stroke prevention measures that experts have identified to reduce the risk of developing the disease.

Stroke is a vascular disease that leads to a permanent disorder cerebral circulation. This condition causes focal lesions of brain cells, pathological changes in the central nervous system and vessels.

Pathology develops due to negative impact on . As a result, blood flow in the vessels is disturbed and can lead to internal hemorrhage. Further, the brain cells cease to receive nutrition and die. Depending on which part of the brain is affected, the patient may develop complete or partial paralysis, impaired vestibular apparatus, and speech.

According to statistics, 30% of patients die during an acute stroke, and 50% die within 12 months after an attack. Up to 20% of patients after a stroke become disabled, lose the ability to move fully. In case of full or partial recovery, there is a risk of relapse.

Attention!

The sooner medical care is provided to the patient, the less irreversible consequences will be.

Types of stroke

The disease has its own classification, which is determined by the severity and mechanism of development. There is a separate treatment for each type of stroke. It is important to carefully examine the patient who suffered from a stroke, and to identify the type of pathology.

The disease is divided into 2 categories:

1. Ischemic stroke. It ranks first in prevalence among diseases of the cardiovascular system. Develops by or their blockage by a thrombus. Pathology is possible against the background of alcohol intake, smoking, drug use. Violations at work endocrine system and hearts are also capable of provoking cerebral ischemia.
2. hemorrhagic stroke. It is observed in 20% of those affected by an attack. The disease is accompanied by severe consequences, slow recovery period. An attack develops with the formation of a hematoma, which was formed due to hemorrhage into the substance of the brain. Hemorrhagic stroke can provoke hypertension, in which the vessels undergo spasms and paralysis.

Doctors distinguish a third type of disease, which is not included in the official classification - a mini-stroke. Pathology is characterized by a short-term stop of blood flow to the brain. The duration of the negative impact is not more than 2 minutes. The patient experiences most of the signs of a stroke, but does not attach importance to the symptoms, as well-being is quickly restored.

Who is at risk

Every third adult patient is at risk of having a stroke. Each patient who is susceptible to the disease should be registered in the dispensary at the local clinic.

The risk zone for stroke includes patients who suffer from the following diseases:

1. Hypertension. Pressure above 130/90 is dangerous for blood vessels. A long one can provoke a rupture, cause an ischemic stroke. Hypertension requires regular use of antihypertensive medications to maintain pressure within normal limits.
2. Atrial fibrillation. The mechanism of the development of the disease is the formation of a thrombus in the atrial region in case of heart rhythm disturbances. There is a possibility of a blood clot breaking off and moving to. Further, ischemic stroke develops.
3. Diabetes. Patients with hormonal disorders 3 times more likely to have a stroke. Pathology leads the vessels of the whole organism to fragility. At diabetes exists high risk development of not only a stroke, but also a heart attack.

In addition to the listed pathologies, the risk group includes people with the following features:

Timely prevention of the disease and regular examinations will reduce the risk of stroke to a minimum.

Symptoms and early signs of a stroke

Every patient needs to know. Defining a catastrophic condition loved one will allow you to take the right action and save a life.

The first signs of pathology are manifested in the following:

• pain in the head;
• double vision, flies and darkening appear;
• nausea, bouts of vomiting;
• limb numbness or separate parts body, restriction of motor activity.

There is a list of the first precursors of an attack:

• short-term memory loss;
• tinnitus (long-term or short-term);
• dizziness (at rest and when moving);
• headache caused by change of weather, fatigue.

If a person is suspected of having a stroke, a mini-test should be performed to detect an attack. You need to ask the person to complete the following requests:

1. smile. An irregular, crooked smile is a sign of CNS disorders.
2. Raise your hands up. With a stroke, the patient will not be able to raise one or both arms.
3. State your name. During an attack, the patient will slur given name, confusing letters and swapping syllables.

If you notice signs of a stroke, you should immediately call an ambulance. If medical manipulations are carried out within 2 hours, the patient has a chance to survive, get fewer complications.

Can a stroke be prevented?

A stroke of the brain can be prevented by following elementary recommendations:

1. Stick to proper nutrition. The diet should contain fruits, vegetables, lean meats, dairy products. Must be consumed optimal amount water - at least 1.5 liters per day.
2. Monitor body weight. The index should be no more than 25%.
3. Give up smoking and alcohol. Tobacco and ethanol makes irreversible changes in the structure of blood vessels. A favorable base is created for the formation of blood clots, the development of hypertension and hypotension.
4. Stick to daily physical activity. Simple exercises or brisk walking increases blood flow to the brain, reducing the chance of blood clots.
5. Monitor blood pressure. This recommendation applies to men over 45 and women with menopause.
6. If you are predisposed to a stroke, follow the doctor's prescription for taking medications.

Attention!

The risk of stroke increases in women when taking hormonal drugs. It is necessary during treatment to take medications that thin the blood.

How to prevent a stroke

You can prevent a stroke in the brain by following the recommendations for the prevention of an attack. Adhering to strict rules is especially important for people who have relatives who have suffered a brain catastrophe.

Preparations

The predisposition to stroke should only be confirmed with the help of a qualified specialist. For prevention, the doctor may prescribe a set of medications, depending on the factor predisposing to a stroke.

Drugs prescribed to prevent stroke:

Attention!

The type of drug and dosage is determined strictly by the attending physician. Before taking any of the listed medicines, a thorough examination is necessary to exclude contraindications and side effects.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine offers many recipes for stroke prevention. Herbs contribute to the normalization of blood circulation, blood thinning, and pressure stabilization.

1. A decoction of rowan bark. To prepare a decoction, you need to prepare 100 gr. rowan bark. Rinse the product, grind. Boil 700 ml of water on the fire and add the crushed bark. Boil over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Next, strain the broth and cool. Take 4 tablespoons of the remedy 3 times a day. Not recommended for gastritis and stomach ulcers.
2. A decoction of chamomile and immortelle. It is necessary to prepare 100 gr. dried chamomile, immortelle and birch buds. Boil 600 ml of water and add the plant mixture. Boil the broth for another 5 minutes. Next, remove from heat and cool. Take 200 ml 3 times a day as a tea.
3. Monastery tea. To prepare monastery tea you will need: 0.5 cups of dried rose hips, 1 tablespoon of chopped elecampane root, 1 g each. dried rosehip roots and loose black tea, 2 tablespoons of St. John's wort and oregano. Elecampane and rosehip berries cook over low heat in 5 liters of water. After 2 hours, add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for another 60 minutes and remove from heat. Take 3-5 times a day for half a glass instead of tea.

You should carefully choose products for the preparation of funds, cook according to the recipe. These medications can be taken by patients who have already had a stroke.

Conclusion

Stroke is an extremely dangerous disease of the vascular system. It is necessary to respond in a timely manner to any changes in well-being associated with blood pressure. Modern ways diagnostics, drugs and traditional medicine will help to identify the pathology in time and prevent an attack.

Stroke, like myocardial infarction, is often a hereditary disease, i.e. people are genetically predisposed to them. Unfortunately, given the modern factors of life - ecology, Not proper nutrition, sedentary work and so on, today hereditary diseases make themselves felt 25 years earlier than half a century ago. Already at a young age, you need to think about how to prevent a stroke and its early development.

About heredity and risk prevention

The first alarm signals begin to come when a person is overcome by fatigue and frequent headaches. A stroke or infarction of cerebral vessels is a disease that occurs as a spasm or, less commonly, rupture of these vessels, painful in my head. Curiously, a stroke can occur regularly, daily in the form of TIA - transient ischemic attacks.

A person does not attach importance to TIA or may not distinguish it from overwork at all. Whereas this is the first herald of a stroke.

And here are a few facts about heredity that you need to know:

• In particular, the hereditary factor affects the development of stroke in patients with the second blood group, and this group is the most common.
• Stroke, as a common disease, is transmitted through the maternal line. Analyze family history of hypertension, stroke mortality patterns, to know if disease prevention should be included at a young age.
• Water in pure form needed to keep the brain working. After all, our brain is 92% water.

Fluid intake for prevention

Drinking various drinks - coffee, cola, etc., we not only do not saturate the body with liquid, but, on the contrary, remove it from the body. On the day you need to drink, in addition to juices and tea, 30 ml of water for every kilogram of body weight. On average, at least 1.5 liters.

You should eat only low-molecular (purified) water, because. tap water or boiled water is very hard to digest.

Thus, normal water balance and metabolism, and most importantly, blood should not have grounds for the formation of blood clots and thickening. Doctors specifically prescribe this simple medicine for hypertensive patients to prevent stroke disease - drink a glass of water every 1.5 - 2 hours. After a couple of months of compliance with the regime, the pressure normalizes in any case.

A new tool for the rehabilitation and prevention of stroke, which has a surprisingly high efficiency - Monastic collection. The monastery fee really helps to fight the consequences of a stroke. Among other things, tea keeps blood pressure normal.

Blood group and its meaning

The causes of hypertension as the main harbinger of a stroke lie in a person's blood type. Thus, the owners of the 1st group have the highest level of adrenaline, which affects the nervous system and cardiovascular activity in case of overexcitation.

Those with 2nd grade are more prone to hypertension. positive group. In addition, doctors pay attention to the tendency to vascular pathologies, for example, atherosclerosis, the causative agent of plaques or arterial abnormalities. Osteochondrosis of the spine in the cervical region also plays a role in the occurrence of a heart attack and, depending on the blood type and its pressure, increases the risks.

Preventive measures

Examination of the body

The first thing that is advisable to do in order not to expose your body to risks is to pass general analysis blood and examination. This procedure is expensive, not everyone can afford, so it is often postponed until a critical situation occurs - a heart attack or stroke. And it's too late there. So find the strength in yourself to pass at least 1-2 tests and make an ECG of the heart.

Depending on the results, in order to prevent cerebral infarction, doctors will prescribe certain preventive measures. For example, people with kidney or heart failure will be prescribed a special diet. Predisposed or having osteochondrosis, it is recommended to wear a medical corset and attend gymnastics, massage, etc.

To prevent a stroke, you should know what to examine first. So, high blood pressure in the owners of the 1st group, it speaks of adrenal dysfunction and, as a result, overexcitation of the nervous system. After examining the adrenal glands, sedative (calming) and antihypertensive drugs are prescribed.

Medicines for prevention

Often, cerebral infarction occurs due to a lack of vitamins or trace elements. In this case, it will be useful for everyone to use vitamin supplements containing B6, potassium, vitamin K from time to time. It is these substances that prevent blood from clotting, acting as anticoagulants.

Acetylsalicylic acid is known to help prevent both myocardial infarction and cerebral stroke. The daily rate of 75 mg should be discussed with your doctor or nutritionist, as this drug has its own contraindication: diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and open stomach ulcers.

Other antihypertensive drugs - i.e. lowering blood pressure should also be prescribed by a doctor when diagnosing a stroke. Among them:

• myotropic drugs;
• potassium activators;
• calcium channel blockers;
• diuretics;
• angiotensin receptor blockers and some other drugs.

It should be remembered that each drug must be gradually "left", since the mechanism of action is similar for everyone - vasodilation. Excessive action can provoke a heart attack or stroke due to thinning of the walls of blood vessels and jump pressure.

Alternative measures to prevent cerebrovascular infarction

Among the non-drug forms of prevention of stroke, there are products made from biophotons, which have gained particular popularity in Lately. These include socks or caps, belts, in which there are active components that act on blood vessels. Studies have shown that regular wearing of biophotonic clothing reduces the risk of stroke by 60%. However, these indicators are individual for each, and it is impossible to unambiguously prevent a heart attack only using biophotons.

Traditional medicine also plays a role in the fight against stroke disease. The most popular recipes are based on:

• Citrus and lemon in particular as a natural anticoagulant and cleanser. Half a lemon and an orange, for example, are peeled and passed through a meat grinder. Then they are mixed with honey and consumed in 1 tbsp. per day with tea.
• Needles, which naturally stimulates hematopoietic processes, pushing vascular infarction into the background.
• Herbal decoctions based on violet, sage, nettle, soothing blood pressure and helping to endure a stroke.

Chronic diseases and diet

It remains to talk about no less important precursors of a stroke - the presence of other chronic diseases. And the first among them is diabetes mellitus, which provokes increased blood viscosity and cholesterol levels in the blood. This indicator should be constantly monitored from an early age so that diabetes does not turn into a stroke. Taking insulin is prescribed individually by the doctor, but drinking clean water shown to diabetics in particular, tk. water dissolves sugar, and this is natural.

Compliance with diet and exercise regimen is mandatory for everyone and at any age.

As a rule, vascular infarction is provoked by bad habits (alcohol, smoking) and eating fatty foods containing a lot of cholesterol.

No one forces you to deplete the body with rigid diets. But a few rules should still be taken as a basis:

1. The main enemies of a stroke are fiber, vitamins B6 and K, and saturated omega acids. These substances are found in sea fish, vegetables and fruits, whole grain bread. Eat more of these foods to prevent a heart attack or stroke.
2. Dairy products increase the risk of stroke. It is recommended to replace fatty sour cream, milk, desserts with diet low-fat cottage cheese and kefir.
3. Red meat and fatty meat products should be consumed to a minimum, tk. a stroke occurs 2 times more often among lovers of "meat".
4. Cerebral vascular infarction is not terrible for those who consume a lot of pomegranates and citrus fruits.
5. Dry red wine is useful in small quantities in order to prevent vascular diseases and stroke.
6. Drink plenty of water and green tea, this drink is a good anticoagulant.

Finally, physical activity helps to avoid a stroke, but only if overwork is not allowed. Going to the gym - no more than 3 times a week. It is better to replace the loads on other days with walking on fresh air. And if the ecology in the region is another factor that provokes a stroke, get out at least once a year to the resorts to breathe fresh sea or mountain air.

conclusions

A stroke is not terrible for those who take care of their body in a timely manner. It is necessary to start protection processes already at a young age, especially if there have been cases of stroke in the family. Compliance simple recommendations in diet and an active lifestyle, quitting smoking and alcohol, controlling the state of the body and resting during stressful periods - all these principles will help you forget what a cerebral infarction is.

You are at risk if:

• experience sudden headaches, flies, and dizziness;
• "jumps" pressure;
• feel weak and tired quickly;
• get irritated over trifles?

All these are harbingers of a stroke! E. Malysheva: “Signs noticed in time, as well as prevention in 80%, help prevent stroke and avoid terrible consequences! To protect yourself and your loved ones, you need to take a penny remedy ... "

A stroke is a pathology that is life-threatening, as it is characterized by a sudden disruption of the blood supply to the brain. In this case, a mass death of nerve cells occurs and the connection between them is disrupted, as well as focal or cerebral neurological symptoms appear, which last more than a day and can lead to death.

If earlier such a diagnosis was made mainly to older people, then recently the busy rhythm of life has contributed to the fact that even young people are often exposed to such a serious disease as a brain stroke. Prevention of this disease can save not only from long-term disability, but also save lives.

Why is a stroke dangerous?

Stroke is a very serious illness. In addition to the fact that this disease can lead to sudden death, he can still make a disabled person who was practically healthy before. The most common complications are:

• Paresis is a partial violation or limitation of movements in the limbs.
• Paralysis - complete immobilization of the limbs, lesions of one side are more often observed. These are the so-called hemiparesis, when the arm and leg on one side do not work at the same time.
• Speech disorders.
• vestibular disorders.

All these complications lead to long-term and often even lifelong disability, after which it is difficult for people who were quite healthy until recently to adapt to the social environment.

Risk Factors for Strokes

Prevention of cerebral stroke is aimed at controlling the factors that can cause this disease, and their correction. These include:

• Hypertension and jumps in blood pressure, the risk increases in proportion to the numbers of blood pressure.
• Atherosclerosis.
• Diseases of the cardiovascular system. For example, atrial fibrillation increases the risk of ischemic stroke.
• Prolonged stress and nervous strain.
• Age after 50 years. The older the patient, the higher the risk of developing this disease.
• Violation of metabolic processes.
• Diseases such as diabetes.
• Smoking increases the risk of developing by 50%.
• Taking alcohol and drugs.
• Long-term use of certain drugs, such as hormonal contraceptives or anticoagulants.
• Gender factor - in men after the age of 45, the risk of stroke is higher than in women.
• Heredity.
• Physical inactivity.
• Obesity and overweight.

Primary and secondary prevention

All these factors can provoke the development of the serious disease we are considering. Prevention of cerebral stroke is divided into primary and secondary. Primary involves the prevention of risk factors for the disease. It can be carried out both on the scale of the entire state, and on an individual basis.

The secondary is aimed at eliminating risk factors for stroke, which, under certain circumstances, can provoke a relapse of the disease. The most effective method is regular preventive examinations, which allow timely detection and prevention of unwanted deviations and, if necessary, with the help of drugs to prevent the disease. In addition, both primary and secondary prevention of stroke is carried out not only with medication, but also with the help of traditional medicine, as well as through the rejection of bad habits and harmful factors.

Diet

Prevention of cerebral stroke at home involves proper nutrition, which will help prevent adverse factors that can provoke the disease. Such a diet should include a sufficient amount of fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meats (chicken breast, veal, beef), lean fish and nuts.

Products containing animal fats should be avoided. It is also undesirable to consume easily digestible carbohydrates. These include all sweets, muffins, pastries. As a dessert, you can use dried fruits (prunes, dried apricots) within reasonable limits. Chocolate is allowed in limited quantities. It is useful to include slowly absorbed carbohydrates for breakfast, it is advisable to use them with fresh vegetables. It can be buckwheat or millet porridge with a vitamin salad seasoned with olive oil.

Fried and smoked foods, foods containing cholesterol (chicken yolk, lard, etc.), preservatives, pickles and marinades should be excluded. Excess salt retains water in the body and thus can provoke an attack of hypertension. And this, in turn, is an unfavorable factor that can give impetus to the development of a stroke.

Overweight people want to lose weight. But this must be done gradually. It is impossible to lose weight sharply, as this can provoke various health problems, including a brain stroke. Without any harm to the body, you can get rid of 2.5-3 extra pounds per month.

Exercise stress

Regular physical exercise strengthen blood vessels and the body as a whole. But they should be moderate, especially for patients who have had a stroke of the brain. It is impossible to overload an already weakened body. All physical exercises should be performed at a slow pace. Prevention of this kind will help a weakened body to come into tone.

Bad habits

Complete rejection of bad habits significantly reduces the risk of developing atherosclerosis blood vessels brain and thrombus formation. These measures can prevent stroke of the brain. Prevention of this kind improves the quality and increases the life expectancy of patients who have already had this disease. Reducing the number of cigarettes smoked is not prevention and does not reduce the likelihood of an ischemic attack. Only a complete cessation of smoking will benefit.

Some sources report that a small amount of red wine is good for blood vessels, but this is not true. The latest findings of scientists indicate that alcohol in any quantity, except for harm, does nothing. In order to cleanse the blood vessels, it is better to use proven folk remedies.

ethnoscience

Prevention of cerebral stroke with folk remedies is possible only after consulting a doctor. It is most often used in conjunction with other methods, such as drug therapy. You can use the following tools:

• Infusion of kombucha. It is consumed half a cup 3-5 times a day.
• Alcohol 30 drops are pre-dissolved in a small amount water or tea and take 2 times a day (morning and evening). Such a tincture is prepared as follows: a half-liter jar is completely filled with flowers or horse chestnut fruits and filled to the brim with vodka. Clean the jar in a dark place for 14 days. After filtering and pour the resulting tincture into a dark glass dish.
• Fresh ginger root - added to tea or any drinks. Dry crushed ginger can be added to meat dishes.
• Chopped nutmeg - add to any dishes. Nutmeg powder can be held in the mouth for several minutes, then swallowed with cold boiled water.
• Before going to bed, it is useful to instill an aqueous solution of mummy 2 drops into each nasal passage.
• At high level cholesterol to prevent atherosclerosis, which can cause a stroke, it is useful to eat foods containing in their composition. These include chanterelle mushrooms and herring. But the herring should not be salty, to which we are accustomed, but steamed or in the oven. A large number of salt, this product makes it not too suitable for healthy eating.
• To cleanse the blood vessels, it is useful to use a remedy made from honey, lemon and garlic. All ingredients are taken in equal quantities. Lemon and garlic are crushed in a blender. Before this, the garlic must be peeled, and the lemon should be washed thoroughly. By the way, citrus is ground right with the peel. The resulting product can be stored in the refrigerator and taken daily, one teaspoon.

We remind you once again: the prevention of cerebral stroke with folk remedies should be carried out under the supervision of the attending physician and on his recommendation. Only under such conditions will it be useful.

Prevention of cerebral stroke. Preparations

This option, according to many patients, is the most effective. Let's discuss the pros and cons.

As you know, those who are at risk for such a formidable disease as a cerebral stroke should be especially careful. Prevention secondary in this case involves the use of drugs. In addition, often after doctors recommend patients with reconstructive surgery on the carotid arteries, which can save their lives.

People suffering hypertension, it is recommended to measure blood pressure twice a day and record these figures in a special diary. At the appointment with a cardiologist, these records must be shown to the doctor so that he can pick up effective treatment hypertension, which is a risk factor for the development of stroke - both hemorrhagic and ischemic. Taking antihypertensive drugs such as Lozap and Lozap plus may be prescribed to treat hypertension. In addition, for an emergency reduction in blood pressure, you can use, for example, the drug Kapoten and diuretics, for example, Furosemide (Lasix). Patients should take antihypertensive drugs long time, until stable stabilization of the level of blood pressure. It is tedious to correct therapy with such means under the supervision of a cardiologist or therapist. Such prevention of ischemic stroke of the brain prolongs active life patients and allows them to feel satisfactory for a long time. And what other drugs do doctors prescribe to their patients?

To prevent a cerebral stroke from recurring, prevention must necessarily include the use of antiplatelet agents and antimicrobial therapy. Quite often, cardiologists recommend taking medications such as Aspirin, Ticlopidin, Clopidogrel, Dipyridamole. Such therapy is usually designed for a long period. It can last for years. It is important to periodically monitor platelet aggregation activity. When it increases, it is necessary appoint patients to receive antiplatelet agents or anticoagulants, which include Warfarin.These drugs prevent the formation of blood clots and thereby prevent the development of stroke.

Carrying out the prevention of cerebral stroke in atherosclerosis is aimed at increasing it by only 10% of the norm increases the risk of stroke up to 25%. Excess low-density cholesterol (also called bad sticky cholesterol) contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of blood vessels. With high blood pressure, this increases the likelihood of developing stroke. How to prevent stroke of the brain in this case? Cholesterol levels should be kept in the normal range. To reduce it, lipid-lowering therapy is used, which involves taking statins. TO medicines such a group includes, for example, "Simvastatin", "Niacin", "Pravastatin". Typically, these medications must be taken by patients for life.

In addition, it is necessary to take complexes that strengthen the walls of blood vessels, increasing their tone and elasticity. Doctors recommend Ginkgo Biloba FORTE, which contains active substances of plant origin that reduce the permeability of capillary walls, strengthen the vascular wall and normalize its tone. Thus, it is possible to provide comprehensive prevention of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.

Differences in the development of stroke in men and women

• According to statistics, women are more likely to have a stroke in age period after 60 years, while in men the risk of its development exists already after 40 years.
• Men endure the disease more easily than women.
• Full recovery in men after a stroke occurs much more often than in women.
• Statistics show that mortality among women after this disease is much higher than among men.
• Women's risk factors for stroke: taking contraceptives, migraines, pathological pregnancy, and a greater likelihood of thrombosis.

Prevention of cerebral stroke in men and women

To talk about the prevention of this disease, you need to understand the causes of its occurrence. So, for smokers and taking oral contraceptives women over the age of 30 have a 25% increased risk of stroke compared to non-smokers and women who prefer other types of contraception. From this follows the logical conclusion that the prevention of cerebral stroke in women with such bad habits and protection measures comes down to abandoning them.

Also, people who are highly impressionable and not stress-resistant, with frequent mood swings, are more prone to stroke. As a preventive measure, such patients can be advised daily walks in the fresh air, a contrast shower in the morning, and in more advanced cases, taking sedatives, but they can be taken only after consulting a doctor. If you suffer from insomnia, then as a sleeping pill it is useful to drink half a glass of warm herbal tea before going to bed or

How to prevent a cerebral stroke? Prevention of this disease should be aimed at reducing and eliminating risk factors. For this purpose, annual medical examinations and medical examinations of the population are carried out. Be sure to take tests for cholesterol and blood glucose. When health problems are identified, steps must be taken to eliminate them. It is advisable for all citizens, regardless of their age and gender, to give up bad habits.

Millions of people die every year from vascular and heart diseases. If at the beginning of the last century a stroke of the brain was considered a disease of the elderly, today this disease cripples forty-year-olds. Scientists are developing and constantly supplementing the list of preventive measures designed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. In order to understand how to prevent a stroke, you should understand the mechanism of occurrence and causes of the development of pathology.

A stroke of the brain cannot be called an independent disease. It is an acute complication of major diseases - hypertension and vascular atherosclerosis. Stroke may also be affected congenital pathologies vessels.

According to the mechanism of development, a stroke can be hemorrhagic and ischemic. The first occurs as a result of a rupture of a vessel in the brain, and the second - against the background of a cessation of the blood supply to an organ or its section.

The main cause of ischemic stroke is atherosclerosis or vasospasm. Hemorrhage in the brain occurs as a result of a sharp increase in pressure, when the walls of blood vessels cannot withstand stress and burst. In both cases, brain cells and neurons can die.

A cerebral infarction in ischemic stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is completely stopped. This situation can occur if there is a blockage of the vessel by a thrombus, a blood clot, or the lumen in the vessel is closed due to the growth of an atherosclerotic plaque. Another reason is a sharp decline BP, or a decrease in the amount of blood.

Ischemic stroke is diagnosed several times more often, and mortality from this type of pathology is lower. But, despite the fact that blockage or vasospasm rarely ends in death, an ischemic type stroke often leads to disability. That is why it is important to diagnose and treat the underlying diseases in time.

In developing a mechanism for how to prevent a stroke, experts took into account many factors that lead to cardiovascular disease. They also compiled a list of people who need preventive actions. First of all, it includes people whose age has exceeded 65 years. A great risk for the development of a stroke are diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and atherosclerosis of the vessels. People suffering from these ailments need to make efforts to protect the brain from hypoxia and hemorrhages, and blood vessels from fragility and cholesterol deposits.

Stroke prophylaxis should be performed by people who have diseases leading to the formation of blood clots. The list of potential stroke patients includes smokers, overweight people and hormonal disorders.

Harbingers of a stroke

A hemorrhagic stroke occurs suddenly, while an ischemic stroke has symptoms that are harbingers of an attack. The alarm should be beaten in the case when the sensitivity of the skin, stereoscopic vision is disturbed, speech disorder occurs. The patient begins to have a headache, his consciousness becomes cloudy, he feels general discomfort. If the limbs on one side of the body lose sensitivity, then this indicates that a violation of cerebral circulation occurs in the opposite side.

A hemorrhagic type stroke occurs during a period of strong psycho-emotional stress or increased physical activity. The person is covered with perspiration, the skin becomes red, and a sharp pain pierces the head. The manifestations of the attack are so strong that the patient loses consciousness.

Can Acute Brain Failure Be Prevented?

If symptoms periodically occur that characterize brain hypoxia, then urgent measures must be taken to identify and treat the pathology. How and by what methods to more effectively prevent a stroke, the doctor will best tell after identifying the reasons for which the corresponding symptoms appear. But no matter what disease the patient suffers from, hypertension or atherosclerosis, first of all, you should change your lifestyle and revise your diet.

Numerous studies have confirmed the conclusion that a plant-based diet included in the daily diet reduces the risk of stroke by five percent. Especially useful are apples, green vegetables and foods containing potassium (reduce the risk of stroke by almost half).

In addition to organizing a healthy diet, you can reduce the risk of developing a dangerous pathology if you give up bad habits, avoid stressful situations, heavy physical exertion and timely treat concomitant diseases.

How to avoid a stroke: preventive measures and medications

Since stroke is the result cardiovascular diseases, then preventive measures should be directed, first of all, to the main ailments. Expert advice on how to avoid a stroke relates to the organization of a healthy diet, pressure control, timely medication, and other ways to protect the heart and blood vessels. Let's consider them in more detail.

The main measures to prevent stroke:

• Annual preventive examination. After the age of fifty, it is necessary to periodically be examined by doctors for the timely diagnosis and treatment of diseases that can lead to a stroke.
• Cholesterol Reduction. It is he who causes the formation of atherosclerotic plaques that clog blood vessels. It is necessary to exclude animal fats, butter, sour cream and cheeses from the diet.
• Blood pressure monitoring. Hypertensive patients need to monitor blood pressure daily, since a sharp increase in pressure causes hemorrhagic stroke, which appears suddenly and cannot be noticed in advance. If the increase in pressure is noticed in time, then it is possible to save the vessels from rupture by taking antihypertensive drugs. Therefore, doctors strongly recommend that people diagnosed with hypertension have home first aid kit tonometer.
• Control heart rate . If a person suffers from atrial fibrillation, then the risk of getting a stroke increases. In this case, blood clots can form directly in the atrium and, traveling through the arteries, clog the vessels of the brain. Timely intake of antiarrhythmic drugs will help to avoid a stroke.
• Exclusion of stressful situations. Being always on the wave of positive is difficult, because there are sad moments in life. However, you should tune in positive tone and try to be less nervous. Depression is especially dangerous. It should be treated with the help of specialists.
• Reception control hormonal drugs . Long-term use of hormonal contraceptives can lead to the formation of blood clots. Such drugs should be avoided by women at risk.
• Treatment of diabetes. This disease negatively affects the walls of blood vessels, increasing the risk of stroke. Diabetes requires mandatory treatment and control of blood sugar levels.
• Timely application for medical care . The ischemic type of stroke is characterized by symptoms that occur about a day before the attack. If a person at this time to see a doctor, then with the help of appropriate therapeutic measures, a stroke can be avoided before it enters the active phase.
• Prevention of blood clots. People whose blood is too thick or who have venous disease need to take medicines to prevent blood clots and blood clots.
• To give up smoking. When wondering how to avoid a stroke, you should carefully evaluate your habits, such as smoking. Nicotine reduces the elasticity of the vascular walls and causes narrowing of the arteries. In the event of a significant increase in pressure, such vessels are easily damaged.

Treatment of serious pathologies is not complete without drugs. Depending on the disease, the doctor prescribes one or another medicine that helps to avoid such complications as a stroke.

Drugs can be divided into three groups:

1. Antihypertensive drugs lower blood pressure. These medicines should only be taken as prescribed by a doctor, who determines the dosage and course of treatment.
2. Diuretics help remove excess water and sodium from the body.
3. Antiplatelet agents prevent the formation of blood clots and blockage of blood vessels.

How to prevent a brain stroke with traditional medicine and nutrition

In folk medicine, centuries of experience in the treatment of various ailments have been accumulated. There are recipes that are aimed at preventing strokes by cleansing the vessels of cholesterol and strengthening the vascular walls. Treatment with natural medicines should be an addition to the main one, and not the only one. How to prevent a brain stroke with folk remedies, we will consider in the form of several popular recipes.

Folk recipes:

• Citrus honey blend. In order to cook not only healthy, but also delicious medicine you will need a lemon and an orange, 1 each, as well as 1 tablespoon of honey. Citrus fruits should be thoroughly washed and chopped together with the peel in a meat grinder. Squeeze the juice, and add honey to the resulting mass and mix thoroughly. Remedy take a teaspoon after meals. It perfectly cleans blood vessels from deposits and reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol.
• Elecampane tincture. The crushed dry root of the plant (30 grams) is placed in a glass container and poured with vodka (1 liter). Insist in a dark cool place for 1.5 months. Take 25 drops daily before meals. The drug is intended for the treatment of vascular atherosclerosis.

The answer to the question of how to prevent a cerebral stroke may differ depending on whether there has already been a pathology or not. The fact is that after the first stroke, the likelihood of a second one increases, which means that more effective means are needed that not only protect blood vessels, but also restore damaged cells brain. One of these recipes is based on useful properties pine cones.

How to prevent a stroke

Stroke, an acute cerebrovascular accident, is one of the most dangerous diseases cerebral vessels. About 500,000 people are hospitalized with this diagnosis in Russia every year. The peak occurs in February-March, when blood pressure is especially sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure. The disease is terribly merciless: it leads (especially in countries with developed economies) among the causes of general mortality of the population, leaving behind heart attacks, oncology, and injuries.

“Unfortunately, no drugs have been invented in the world, no drugs have been developed effective ways stroke treatment. If a brain accident has occurred, any, the most the best clinic only to a very small extent can affect the outcome of the disease. The only thing you can hope for is to save the patient's life, since the destroyed parts of the brain cannot be restored. On such a sad note, a conversation began with an honored doctor Russian Federation, professor, doctor medical sciences Evgeny Shirokov. He is a highly qualified neurologist who has been dealing with acute cerebrovascular accidents for almost thirty years.

– Are there any prospects for reducing these “huge numbers”? After all, the third millennium is in the yard.

“There are no fewer strokes. Not only with us. In all civilized countries. Stressful, ecological loads are growing, many other factors unfavorable for the body “hit” the vessels. They lose their elasticity, become clogged with atherosclerotic plaques, narrow, or even completely clog. The brain, which is unusually sensitive to a lack of blood and oxygen, suffers, the central nervous system is partially or completely affected.

Of course, the increase in morbidity is associated with an increase medium duration people's lives. Aging inevitably entails failures in the cardiovascular system. Those who are "over 60" have acquired such a "bouquet" of ailments, from which a stroke is within easy reach. However, another very alarming factor has appeared - acute cerebrovascular accident is increasingly occurring in young people, full of creative powers. Behind last years the number of ischemic (note, not hemorrhagic, which has always been considered a “perk” of young age) strokes between the ages of 40 and 50 increased eightfold. But unfortunately still not effective programs stroke prevention.

– But no one refutes the concept of risk factors for acute cerebral circulation disorders. Isn't this the basis for developing a reliable strategy and tactics for disease prevention?

- At first glance, the situation is indeed paradoxical. There are many (over 100) risk factors that undoubtedly provoke a stroke. To the most significant, except for hereditary vascular pathology, relate:

Arterial hypertension - any prolonged "jump" of pressure (hypertensive crisis) - the path to vascular spasm, hemorrhages;

Elevated cholesterol levels - by the way, it is not directly related, as is commonly believed, with general obesity - and with normal weight often goes off scale;

Obesity and the use of a number of drugs for weight correction;

Changing the structure of nutrition - alcohol, passion for fatty foods;

Smoking - tobacco smoke, regardless of whether you smoke yourself or passively “swallow” the “rings” released by the interlocutor, constricts blood vessels;

Hypodynamia;

stress;

Taking certain oral contraceptives;

Diabetes mellitus, which seriously damages blood vessels.

There is also the concept of risk factors: mathematically reliable relationships between diseases (hypertension, atherosclerosis), syndromes, life circumstances and indisputable facts of the occurrence of a stroke. But all this, I repeat, is only a condition, not a cause of the disease. Risk factors contribute to the occurrence of pathological processes that lead to cerebrovascular accidents, but this is not the true cause of a stroke.

But what is the cause of a stroke?

– the true reason stroke in the eighties of the last century was formulated by the outstanding domestic cardiologist I. K. Shkhvatsabaya. The patient's history can be aggravated by many risk factors - atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, he can live in an environmentally unfavorable or stressful atmosphere, smoke and drink, but until a specific vascular situation occurs, defined as a hemodynamic crisis, there will be no stroke.

Such crises, very different in clinical manifestations and mechanisms of occurrence, a lot. The most famous is hypertension. But, as it turned out, even in patients with arterial hypertension, a hypotensive crisis can develop - a sharp decrease in blood pressure, often leading to the development of a stroke. The cause of a stroke can be an arrhythmic crisis, a neuroendocrine crisis, or a crisis associated with an increase in blood viscosity (hemorheological). A huge field for studying the pathogenetic mechanisms of stroke lies in determining the properties of blood - its coagulability, viscosity, and the ability to carry out microcirculation. Namely, the concept of risk factors does not take into account this.

The main reason, in my opinion, is the insufficient equipment of our medical institutions all the necessary equipment for this. Only in recent years, with the introduction into practice of new medical technologies and research methods (ultrasound of the vessels, echocardiography, long-term monitoring of the functions of the cardiovascular system, echocardiography, duplex scanning of the main arteries of the head), has a real opportunity appeared to bring all theoretical research to life, to put a barrier on the way brain disaster. Well, in addition, which is important, the results of the studies should be evaluated not by one specialist - a therapist or a neurologist, but by three: a cardiologist, a neurologist and a vascular surgeon.

Simple Ways to Avoid a Stroke

Shirokov Evgeny Alekseevich

Stroke- sudden damage to the brain as a result of a violation of its blood supply - is not an independent disease. It is always a severe complication of an already existing pathological process or a disease, the symptoms of which, most often, declare their existence for a long time.

The modern system of stroke prevention is based on the identification and elimination of the so-called risk factors for the disease - a variety of external and internal environmental factors that have a statistically significant relationship with acute cerebrovascular accidents.

This definition fully corresponds to the factors common to most diseases of the cardiovascular system:

• Chronic lack of physical activity
• Excess salt intake
• Imbalance in nutrition since childhood
• Alcohol abuse
• Smoking
• stress
• The influence of certain drugs
• Environmental influence
• Occupational hazards

Elimination or reduction negative impact risk factors is at the heart of a population-based stroke strategy. The preventive potential of this direction is extremely high and far from exhausted. However, the individual direction is no less important.

Individual stroke prevention is based on clear ideas about the degree of danger for each person and knowledge of the first, most important features threats.

How to determine the degree of danger? This can be done using the results of a medical examination. The minimum scope of such an examination should include: systematic measurement of blood pressure, ECG, ultrasound duplex scanning carotid arteries and blood tests (general, glucose, cholesterol, indicators reflecting the state of the blood coagulation system).

The results of such a survey reveal four syndromes that are most directly related to stroke. We list them according to the frequency of occurrence among the population: arterial hypertension, increased clotting blood from high probability blood clots, heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmia), atherosclerotic narrowing of the lumen of the large arteries of the brain (stenosis).

Based on statistical data, it is possible to approximately estimate the individual's absolute risk of stroke (the probability of having the disease during the year).

Five Percent Scale for Individual Estimation of Stroke Probability

Stroke prevention: how to avoid and what means

Timely initiated stroke prevention can prevent the development of this pathology in 80% of cases. Let's talk briefly about the causes of the disease, which must be prevented.

Effective prevention of cerebral stroke is impossible without knowledge of the causes of this disease.

Depending on the causes of occurrence, it is divided into 2 main types: ischemic stroke or cerebral infarction and hemorrhagic stroke or cerebral hemorrhage.

A cerebral infarction occurs when the flow of blood through the arteries that feed a certain part of the brain stops. This may happen for the following reasons:

• growth of atherosclerotic plaque;
• a detached blood clot that enters the blood vessels of the brain from the heart valves at the time of the sudden onset of arrhythmia;
• a drop in blood pressure or a decrease in the amount of blood pumped by the heart;
• increase in blood viscosity with the formation of its clots in the vessels of the brain.

The main cause of hemorrhage in the substance of the brain is a sharp jump in blood pressure. Unable to withstand it, the vessels rupture. IN rare cases at constantly high values ​​of arterial pressure, there is a gradual “squeezing out” of blood through the vessel wall into the brain tissue. With the accumulation of a sufficient amount of blood, neurological symptoms develop.

Thus, the considered causes help to understand how to prevent a stroke and prevent the development of neurological complications.

Who cares about stroke prevention?

Doctors have compiled a list of conditions (risk group) in which prevention is mandatory:

• women over 50, men over 45;
• hypertension (high blood pressure);
• heart failure;
• heart disease with rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias);
• high blood pressure (hypertension);
• diseases accompanied by the formation of blood clots;
• diabetes;
• experienced smokers.

A special place among these conditions is the prevention of stroke in the elderly. In people after 50 years, normal age-related changes in blood vessels occur - a decrease in the elasticity of the vascular wall, which may not withstand a sharp increase in pressure, for example, against the background of stress or strong emotions.

Stroke Prevention Measures

Since the causes of the development of circulatory disorders in the brain completely coincide with those in acute disorders of the blood supply to the heart muscle, therefore, the prevention of stroke and myocardial infarction can be carried out according to a single scheme.

For the convenience of patients, a “Memo on Stroke Prevention” has been compiled. It includes 7 items.

Point 1. Blood pressure - under control

In 99% of cases, hypertension is to blame for the development of cerebral hemorrhage. Therefore, it is necessary to keep the level of blood pressure under control. Its normal values ​​are: systolic ("upper") - no higher than 140 mm Hg. Art. diastolic ("lower") - not higher than 90 mm Hg. Art.

How to avoid stroke in patients with hypertension? To do this, you must have a personal device for measuring blood pressure. Elderly patients should choose automatic or semi-automatic models, because they do not require special skills to use them. The results must be recorded in a diary: in the morning after waking up, at lunchtime, in the evening before going to bed, noting the date and the values ​​obtained.

Upon detection high values blood pressure for the first time, you should immediately consult a doctor. If hypertension has already been diagnosed, blood pressure monitoring will help evaluate the effectiveness of prescribed drugs and change the treatment regimen if necessary.

Item 2. Fight against cardiac arrhythmia

Blood clots that form in the cavity of the heart and on its valves in some diseases can enter the general circulation and block the lumen of the cerebral vessels. The risk of this increases if there is a violation of the heart rhythm - arrhythmias. Patients at risk should without fail undergo an ECG (electrocardiography) once every six months. If abnormal heart rhythms are detected, take prescribed antiarrhythmic drugs to prevent stroke.

Point 3. Bad habits - stop!

Stroke occurs in smokers twice as often as people without bad habits. This is because nicotine narrows the cerebral arteries and reduces the elasticity of the vascular wall. Under adverse conditions, the vessels may not withstand a sharp rise in blood pressure and burst.

It has been proven that if you stop smoking, then after 5 years the likelihood of developing a stroke decreases to an average level in patients of this age.

Item 4. Cholesterol - no

Prevention of ischemic stroke is to prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. All patients who are at risk should have their blood checked for lipids at least once every six months.

You need to start lowering your cholesterol levels by changing your eating habits and exercising.

The menu for those who want to prevent the development of a stroke should include: steamed, boiled and stewed meat products, greens, low fat dairy products, lean meat, fish, olive oil.

Physical exercises should be selected, taking into account age and existing diseases. The main thing that physical activity was daily. Walking at a leisurely pace for 30-60 minutes each day is appropriate for most patients.

If non-pharmacological methods are insufficient, the doctor should prescribe anti-lipid (anti-cholesterol) drugs to prevent stroke.

Point 5. Attention, diabetes!

Changes in the vascular wall in diabetes mellitus are an important factor in increasing the risk of developing circulatory disorders in the brain. Therefore, it is so important to regularly examine the blood glucose level: once every six months, if there are no complaints, and strictly according to the scheme proposed by the doctor if the diagnosis has already been made.

Item 6. Prevention of blood clots

Drugs for the prevention of stroke and heart attack, acting on the ability of blood to clot, can prevent the formation of microclots. They are vital for patients who have undergone various types of operations, who have vein diseases (varicose veins).

Point 7. Do not miss the time

A cerebral infarction, unlike a hemorrhage, rarely develops suddenly. Most often, it is possible to identify the precursors of a stroke, recognizing which in time can prevent the development of serious neurological disorders.

You should immediately call an ambulance if the following symptoms are observed:

• sudden weakness, dizziness;
• numbness in the arms, legs, or any side of the face;
• difficulty speaking;
• sudden blurred vision;
• acutely developed severe headache.

For the convenience of the patient and a reminder of the main directions for the prevention of cerebrovascular accidents, you can print and hang in prominent places the pictures “stroke prevention”.

The power of nature for vascular health

Stroke prevention with folk remedies can be carried out exclusively as an addition to the drugs prescribed by the doctor for this purpose.

Traditional medicine can prevent the development of a stroke, mainly by strengthening the vascular wall and cleansing the body of excess cholesterol.

Sophora japonica tincture

Japanese Sophora will help to give vessels strength and restore elasticity. Take its dried buds and pour a 70% solution of medical alcohol at the rate of 1 spoonful of raw materials per 5 tablespoons of liquid. Infuse for 2-3 days, avoid storage in the light. Take 20 drops after each meal (3-4 times a day).

Lemon honey paste

This recipe will help lower cholesterol and cleanse blood vessels. Wash 1 lemon, 1 orange thoroughly with a brush and scroll in a meat grinder along with the peel. Drain excess juice. The mass should be thick. In the resulting gruel, add 1 tablespoon of natural thick honey and mix. The effect can be achieved by taking 1 tsp. pasta after every meal.

Common colza

To strengthen the blood vessels and prevent cholesterol from settling on them will help the common colza herb. Dried raw materials insist on boiling water in glassware within 1 hour. For infusion, 1 part of the herb and 20 parts of water are taken. Drink half a glass 4 times a day.