Time is of the essence in stroke

A stroke is a sudden disorder of the brain activity caused by an obstruction or rupture of a blood vessel. It is one of the most common causes of death and disability in Poland among people over 40. According to the data published in the NHF health report "Ischemic stroke", every year stroke affects over 70 thousand people. Poles.

It is essential to recognize the symptoms of a stroke quickly and seek specialist help from a hospital. Some of the main symptoms that may be associated with a stroke include heaviness in the limbs, speech disturbances, facial asymmetry, and sudden decrease in vision. The guidelines for the management of stroke, developed by the Polish Neurological Society, indicate that each one we gain a quarter of an hour before starting treatment translates approximately into an additional month of independent life for the patient, lower by 5%. the risk of death, as well as higher by about 4 percent. a chance to move around independently.

As reported in an interview with the NFZ Health Academy, Dr. Anna Bajer-Czajkowska, MD, deputy head of the Department of Neurology with the Stroke Unit at the Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Szczecin, we divide the risk factors of stroke into non-modifiable and modifiable. The former are age, male gender and genetic predisposition.

- Modifiable factors are those that each patient can change to reduce the risk of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. These are both lifestyle factors related to how we eat and function, how much physical activity we have, and chronic diseases. The risk is higher in people who smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol, are not physically active, follow an incorrect diet and have an inappropriate body weight, and are struggling with chronic diseases - lists Dr. Anna Bajer-Czajkowska.

Modifiable factors account for as much as 90% of the risk of stroke. Specialists urge that if you find symptoms of a stroke, you should call for medical help immediately. Self-transportation of the patient is not recommended.