Strokes came out on top among the causes of death in Russia

Irina Nevinnaya, Rossiyskaya Gazeta 

Infographics of RG / Maria Pakhmutova / Irina Nevinnaya

Every year more than 500 thousand Russian families become victims of acute vascular lesions of the brain. Or, more simply, strokes. We are talking about families, because about one in five people dies, and this is a huge grief for relatives. But even if a person remains alive, the risk of having a stroke again within a year and dying remains at 15%. Only half of them partially recover their ability to work. Complete recovery is only in 8% of patients. One in five remains deeply disabled, requiring constant attention and care from loved ones.

– Three out of four cases of stroke can be prevented if you change your lifestyle and use preventive measures to influence risk factors, – says Professor, director of the Research Institute of Cerebrovascular Pathology and Stroke of the Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov Lyudmila Stakhovskaya. – There are uncorrectable factors: age (the older the risk is higher), gender (men are affected more often than women), heredity. But there are factors that we can influence ourselves or with the help of a doctor.

The first in importance is the presence of arterial hypertension. For hypertensive patients, stroke is the most frequent and threatening development of events. The next factor is the presence of such a heart rhythm disorder as atrial fibrillation. This is followed by high cholesterol, smoking, alcohol abuse, diabetes, obesity. And – the use of oral contraceptives. Don't you watch your food from a young age, are you gaining extra weight? So by the age of 50, or even earlier, you will have a bunch of problems with metabolism, hypertension, possibly diabetes mellitus. It is important for young women to know that hormonal contraception can lead to thrombosis. And if taking contraceptives is combined with smoking, the risk of a blood clot increases several times.

– In Sweden, a study was conducted on how to reduce the number of strokes. They have about 300 thousand cases annually, – says Lyudmila Stakhovskaya. – And we found out that if at least half of smokers quit smoking, the frequency of stroke will decrease by 28 thousand per year. If half of those who lead a sedentary lifestyle engage in physical activity, there will be 25 thousand fewer strokes. If at least half of the patients with hypertension will keep it under control, and now we have a wide range of opportunities for this, if, moreover, timely diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm disorders, regular intake of anticoagulants, then the number of strokes will decrease by another 45-50 thousand.

Doctors found out that if at least half of smokers quit smoking, the frequency of stroke will decrease by 28 thousand per year

– Any person has every chance to minimize the risk of stroke. These are the well-known rules of a healthy lifestyle, and above all, smoking cessation. Passive smoking, by the way, is also harmful," explains Andrey Fonyakin, head of the Cardioneurology Laboratory at the Neurology Research Center. – Everyone is able to monitor body weight, move more, adjust nutrition. And, of course, it is important to strictly adhere to the doctor's recommendations if he prescribes antihypertensive medications, drugs that normalize cholesterol levels and prevent atrial fibrillation.

It is important to know how to act if a stroke does happen. Unfortunately, only three out of ten patients with acute cerebrovascular accident call an ambulance immediately when alarming symptoms occur. Most of them hope that "it will pass by itself". And they miss precious time when the help of doctors is most effective.

– There are 4.5 hours – a "therapeutic window" during which the patient needs to be taken to the vascular department, diagnosed, computed tomography done and urgent measures taken, – says Lyudmila Stakhovskaya. – If six hours have passed after the onset of symptoms, the prognosis becomes unfavorable. I must say that educational work with the population is bearing fruit: according to research in a number of regions of the country, people have become more likely to go to the ambulance about the first symptoms of a stroke."

It is important to remember: if the signs of a stroke appeared for a short time, and then the condition returned to normal, you still need to contact a neurologist or an ambulance. Perhaps there was a micro-stroke. And if this is true, then there is a great threat of a serious blow in the near future.

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30.10.2015