Cerebral vascular disease, more commonly known as stroke, is the consequence of transient or permanent dysfunction of a part of the brain. This happens due to the occlusion of a cerebral blood vessel (thrombosis or embolism) or its rupture (cerebral hemorrhage or hematoma).
Although the causes of stroke are very diverse, in most cases the main cause is atherosclerosis, both in the extracranial and intracranial arteries. Neurology specialists state that this causes their occlusion or thrombosis (ischemic stroke).
Symptoms of stroke
The symptoms are diverse and depend on the cerebral area that has been compromised by the dysfunction of the blood supply. Stroke can present itself in such diverse forms as: paralysis of a limb or half of the body, altered sensitivity, imbalance or even an isolated speech disturbance.
One aspect that should be recognized as an alarm signal is the sudden or rapid onset of symptoms. The recognition of signs of suspected stroke is very important, as it allows rapid medical assistance that helps to implement the relevant treatments to reduce the severity of the disease and reduce the possible sequelae.
Stroke: treatment
Advances in the treatment of stroke during its initial phase, specifically during the first three or four hours, are making it possible to reduce mortality and its sequelae. However, the aging of the population and the increase in survival mean that the social cost of stroke is growing.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the Western world and the leading cause of physical disability in adults in our environment. On the other hand, it is also the second cause of dementia, after Alzheimer’s disease, and the most frequent cause of epilepsy of onset in advanced age.
For all these reasons, it is important to highlight the role of primary prevention of stroke, i.e., all those measures that can prevent its occurrence. It is essential to act on vascular risk factors through healthy lifestyle habits (exercise, diet, etc.) and the detection and treatment of arterial hypertension, diabetes or lipid metabolism disorders.