A few every year 120 thousand Argentines suffer from cerebrovascular attack (CVA)a serious and sudden neurological pathology, which requires – to overcome - immediate and specialist medical care.
What is striking is that, although it is a relatively common situation, most people he cannot recognize what is happening and, much less, how to react to this urgency. To help alleviate this lack of knowledge, a group of specialized doctors launched this week, in Stroke awareness dayA innovative website offering a test online fast, simple and free. Filling it out, together with a family member or caregiver, allows you to establish whether a person has had a stroke. In this case, the page suggests concrete ways and options for requesting immediate medical assistance.
Cerebrovascular accident: causes, prevention and implications on the brain
This aid is the only intervention that allows the loss of neurons to be contained to facilitate the subsequent rehabilitation of the patient who has suffered the attack. Speed in starting treatment is fundamental: “Stroke is the second cause of death and the first cause of disability worldwide. And in Argentina every year we have about 120 thousand strokes,” he said PROFILE Him neurosurgeon Pedro Lylyk. And he added: “Of that figure – which has been increasing in recent years – a third recovers; he himself dies. And about 40 thousand people remain disability this can be important.
Precisely, if a specialized doctor intervenes in the first 3 or 4 hours after the stroke, the chances of this patient’s recovery increases significantly.
Why did they launch the page with the test?
One of the reasons is a survey carried out a few weeks ago which highlighted the high degree of ignorance on the topic. Conducted by the consultancy firm Voices, at the request of a laboratory, they consulted more than 800 people between the ages of 16 and 65 in various cities across the country. And they found that seven out of ten Argentines say they don’t know what to do in the event of a stroke.
They were then asked if they knew what to do if someone around them had a stroke. 32% said they knew what to do, but 39% confirmed they didn’t know what to do in this case and 29% indicated they were unsure.
Because stroke deaths worldwide will rise to 5 million a year
64% said that although they have not experienced an episode, they know someone close to them who has had one.
“The results of the investigation coincide with what we usually see in our clinical practice. People don’t know how to react”, commented Pablo Ioli, vice president of the Argentine Neurological Society. He added: “Sometimes patients prefer to wait for their symptoms to disappear and reality indicates the opposite: the sooner you reach a hospital center prepared to deal with stroke, the greater the chance that the condition will be treated in a timely manner. “successful way. I mean, prevent it from leaving consequences or minimize the consequences”.
Current medical consensus indicates that, after a stroke, the four hours after the onset of symptoms are crucial to giving the best chance of intervention. Some studies even give indications that it is possible to minimize some damage if treated within the first 24 hours. But the golden rule is, according to consensus: “The fewer minutes that pass between the attack and specialist intervention, the better the patient’s recovery will be.”
“The first thing to do if you suspect a stroke is to seek medical help. “You shouldn’t be afraid to mention the suspicion to the person answering the phone, especially if there are signs suggesting a stroke,” he warned. José Stringa, professional of the Department of Medicine of the Hospital de Clínicas. And he reiterated: «The ideal is that, once the patient with suspected stroke enters the department, in the first 60 minutes he has already been correctly assessed, a tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is done and it is established whether he receives specialized treatment for the stroke”. .
“These cases will become more and more frequent. The statistics of new strokes have increased over time and more cases are also found among young people,” Lylyk reiterated. According to this expert, the increase is accompanied by the increase in classic risk factors experienced by people living in Argentina.
“It increases together with greater obesity, the increase in cases of diabetes and hypertension, greater sedentary lifestyle and high alcohol consumption among young people,” explains the expert.
For this reason and to reduce the numbers of this epidemic, as other countries have managed to do, doctors indicate the paths of healthy habits: “Lead a healthy and active life, away from a sedentary lifestyle, follow a healthy diet, with a high weight of fruit and vegetables. Check for the presence of hypertension and – if present – treat it effectively and continuously “These are concrete steps to avoid suffering a stroke.”
How to know in three minutes
A simple and free questionnaire is proposed that anyone can fill out. You need to answer five cognitive, dexterity, coordination and language questions. The test result determines the probable state of the patient’s situation and suggests how to act at that precise moment, showing specific telephone numbers to ask for help. It also offers short, clear videos that tell laypeople how to safely identify every possible symptom associated with a stroke.
In these situations, experts recommend act FAST. This is not only an adjective, but also a acronym indicator. By following this acronym, you can remember a quick check of symptoms that tell you what to do and what to say to emergency services: R: droopy face; A: alteration of balance; P: loss of strength in the arm or leg; I: sudden visual deficit; Q: Difficulty speaking. If these parameters appear, then OR: Get immediate medical attention.
Rehabilitation of a stroke What are the keys to recovering from the leading cause of disability?
From Dr. Prof. Lisandro E. Olmos
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the world after cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, most patients survive to stroke, making this disorder the leading cause of strokedisability
Recovery after a stroke is usually incomplete. Rehabilitation typically relies on training patients in compensatory strategies andnot in the recovery of the affected function but this concept is changing
in the world. Increasing scientific knowledge, advances in initial care and patient rehabilitation have led to new approaches and a renewed promise of improved outcomes.
The 3 key factors for rehabilitation * THE intensity
of the treatment during the critical phase of maximum recovery of the patients: the first 6-9 months, rehabilitation based on the promotion of movements which are then applied in daily life, * Him personalized treatment
and multidisciplinary; That is, all specialties are present during the treatment program (motor, cognitive and linguistic rehabilitation).*THE to technology
applied to promote a greater intensity of treatment that human resources alone cannot guarantee.
Images to rehabilitate better Non-invasive techniques to study brain function, including functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroencephalography, and magnetoencephalography, have identified some of the mechanisms of post-stroke brain recovery, which led to the formulation of Di
new approaches for motor rehabilitation. These techniques have provided insight into an emerging approach to reducing the degree of disability after a stroke by focusing on the brain’s ability to repair and reorganize, a mechanism called:plasticity
Rehabilitation based on activities that aim to recover a function such as walking again, using the arm and hand in tasks of increasing complexity, stimulating our cognitive and linguistic abilities, inducing physiological and morphological plasticity after the stroke.
Specific training in realistic activities, with practical application, like those we use daily in the real world, are essential for recovery.
Today cutting-edge technological equipment allows these treatments to be carried out, but there are very few centers that have this technology.
Technology together with an expert team of professionals added to the intensity and personalized treatment are the key elements for the success of the treatment. Not being able to provide these elements means carrying out an incomplete and outdated intervention.
Not achieve. This includes the use of robotic devices, virtual reality, and other innovative rehabilitation technologies that can facilitate better outcomes for stroke patients.
Conclusion: Addressing Stroke Awareness and Prevention
It is crucial to raise awareness about stroke, its symptoms, and the importance of immediate medical attention. Public education, such as the launch of innovative online tools and awareness campaigns, can significantly impact a community’s response to strokes. By understanding the signs and risk factors associated with strokes, individuals can act swiftly, minimizing long-term damage and improving recovery outcomes.
Healthcare professionals emphasize that education about stroke should not only focus on recognition but also on prevention through lifestyle changes such as balanced diets, regular exercise, and monitoring health conditions like hypertension and diabetes.
By adopting these measures and ensuring timely medical intervention, we can work towards reducing the incidence of strokes and improving the quality of life for those affected.