Yola Polastri: How to prevent stroke? Symptoms and Types of Stroke | welfare

“A stroke is a brain injury and is divided into two types. The first – and the most common – is ischemic, when the artery is blocked and blood and nutrients do not reach the brain. On the other hand, we have hemorrhagic, which is caused by bleeding due to rupture of a vessel. Ischemic stroke is more common than hemorrhagic stroke. It’s worth mentioning because it occurs in 85% of stroke patients. In the case of Yola Polastri, she was hospitalized for an ischemic accident, but she was hospitalized for a hemorrhagic accident a year ago,” said Dr. Marla Gallo, neurologist and stroke unit coordinator at the Ricardo Palma Clinic.

Ischemic or Hemorrhagic Stroke?

Although there are some similarities in their risk factors, ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes have many differences, especially in their symptoms. However, a clinical neurologist with high expertise in cerebrovascular disease at an international clinic, Dr. Carlos Zapata Gomez, both are dangerous because both compromise the lives of those who suffer from them.

On the one hand, Dr. Zapata pointed out that a very common ischemic stroke produces three main symptoms:

1. Language problems with word comprehension and recall.
2. Half stroke of face.
3. Weakness in the middle of the body (arms and legs).

In addition to this, Dr. Gallo includes changes in vision, numbness and unsteadiness of a part of the body.

In hemorrhagic stroke, this type begins with seizures and changes in the patient’s level of consciousness, noted Dr. Zapata Gomes. “One of the main symptoms is headache. Many patients say it’s the worst headache they’ve ever had in their lives,” emphasized the expert.

According to the Texas Heart Institute, each type of stroke has a few subtypes. In the case of ischemic, it is divided into thrombotic and embolic. When talking about bleeding, this class is divided into subarachnoid bleeding and cerebral or intracerebral bleeding.

What to do if someone has a heart attack?

After feeling the symptoms, it is essential to go to a health center immediately, according to Dr. Manuel Cabellos Aguna, a surgeon at Villa El Salvador Emergency Hospital. “On arrival at the center, the doctor who receives the patient will verify that it is a stroke and refer him to the relevant area. The time window is important to guarantee the recovery of the affected person, so action should be taken as soon as possible,” the doctor added.

At home at the time of the accident, Cleveland Clinic neurologist Dr. Andre Machado recommends keeping the following points in mind:

• Call 911 or emergency services immediately
• Keep the person calm and in a comfortable position
• Do not offer food or drink
• If the person is unconscious and breathing, place them on their side in the recovery position.

Regarding treatment, Dr. Gallo said that each type of stroke has different ways of working. “To save the tissue, the patient needs to get to a hospital quickly where they can get treatment and relieve their symptoms as soon as possible. For ischemic stroke, there are two treatment options. First, the window to act is up to 4 and a half hours. The other treatment has a wider time window, but not all hospitals have it.” There are no tools to use,” clarified the doctor.

“If the patient comes before 4.5 hours, we can do intravenous thrombolysis. Then, a mechanical thrombectomy may be considered, in which a catheter is used to remove the infected clot from the artery. However, not all centers have the necessary equipment to perform the second procedure, so it is very important to enter a hospital or clinic that is highly skilled to treat emergencies,” highlighted Dr. Zapata Gómez, a cerebrovascular disease specialist.

If it is a hemorrhagic accident, Dr. Gallo noted, there is no quick treatment. “The important thing is to control vital functions and analyze the patient to see if there is an aneurysm,” he agreed.

Can stroke be prevented?

The difference between an attack and an accident is that the accident can be prevented. To a large extent, the same thing happens with stroke, and there are some forms of prevention to avoid it. In the words of Dr. Jimmy Palacios, a neurologist at the Anglo American Clinic, a healthy lifestyle is essential to prevent stroke. In particular, he shared the following points:

• Monitor blood pressure, sugar levels and cholesterol regularly
• Do regular physical activity
• Avoid tobacco use
• Eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits
• Reduce or avoid excessive consumption of junk food and alcohol

In that regard, the Anglo American Clinic’s expert said that there are certain risk factors that need to be treated and controlled to prevent stroke. These include diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. “The same applies to people who suffer from cardiac arrhythmias or heart problems that can lead to clot formation if left untreated,” he added.

Likewise, there are some modifiable risk factors, such as obesity, aging and sleep apnea, Palacios noted. Smoking significantly increases the risk of stroke and is a completely reversible habit.

Although old age is considered a risk factor, stroke can occur at any age, from childhood to adulthood, Dr. Zapata clarified.

Which type of stroke has the highest mortality rate?

Riccardo Palma, coordinator of the clinic’s stroke unit, reiterated that the more common ischemic stroke has a lower mortality rate than hemorrhagic stroke. However, this type of stroke has a high rate of disability. “The patient is going to be very hurt,” he insisted.

On the other hand, as established by the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI), hemorrhagic accidents are more common, but in most cases more dangerous than ischemic accidents. This is because during its evolution, new complications may appear such as pressure sores, permanent loss of movement or sensation in one part of the body, joint contractures, muscle spasms, dementia and interference with the ability to communicate.

To conclude, it is worth mentioning that according to SEMI, stroke is the third leading cause of death in developed countries. Along these lines, about a quarter of those affected by the problem die or die from its complications, about half suffer from long-term disability, and roughly a quarter recover their functions.