Headache, left-sided weakness - warning sign of stroke
Recently, Medlatec Thanh Xuan General Clinic received Ms. D.T.C (75 years old) for examination with the reason of headache and weak left hemisphere.
Medical history shows that Ms. C had high blood pressure and took Amlor 5 mg/day but not often. Previously, the patient had a headache and dizziness and had been examined at another medical facility. Here, she was diagnosed with cerebral anemia and high blood pressure, but had not taken any medicine to treat it.
10 days later, when she woke up to go to the toilet at 2am, Mrs. C suddenly had a headache, dizziness, turned dizzy, nauseous, crooked mouth, spoke difficultly, felt numb, weak in the left half, had unbalanced walking, and had a nervous chest, so her family took her to a medical facility for examination.
Through clinical examination, the doctor found obvious unusual signs such as weak left hemisphere, muscle atrophy and reduced tendon reflex, 4/5 muscle atrophy; mild masseter, loss of balance when smiling, difficulty speaking, and unclear pronunciation.
Based on the X-ray results, the patient was diagnosed with a 9-hour stroke and stroke monitoring, NIHSS score of 4 points - increased blood pressure. The patient was transferred to a specialist for treatment.
Stroke increases in cold season
According to BSCKI. Hoang Minh Toai - Emergency Resuscitation Specialist, Medlatec Thanh Xuan General Clinic, a stroke (also known as a cerebral vascular complication) occurs when one or more blood vessels supplying oxygen to the brain are damaged or blocked.
The disease has two main forms: hemorrhagic stroke due to ruptured cerebral blood vessels and stroke due to local anemia (clogged arteries).
Although stroke can occur all year round, the incidence of the disease tends to increase during the cold season. The cause is:
Cold weather causes blood vessel constriction, increasing blood flow and blood pressure resistance, leading to the risk of cerebral blood vessel rupture, causing stroke;
Reduced temperatures increase the rate of blood clots, reduce the ability to destroy thrombosis, leading to the risk of thrombosis formation, causing blockage of blood vessels, especially in the brain;
During the cold season, catecholamine hormone levels increase, causing increased blood pressure, heart rate and vasoconstriction, increasing the risk of stroke;
Low temperatures increase the burden on the cardiovascular system, especially those with a history of cardiovascular disease, due to the circulatory system having difficulty supplying blood to organs and tissues;
Eating foods rich in fat, salt, less vegetables and reduced mobility in winter increases the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia and diabetes.
The disease can occur at any age, but the risk is higher in people over 60 years old, with a history of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes; or a family history of stroke, obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, drinking alcohol; postmenopausal or pregnant women.
The biggest impact of stroke on patients is death. In case of lucky survival, severe sequelae such as:
Exercise: Liet moves his arms and legs with his sides, paralyzes his eyes, mouth, face, and throat. Symptoms of bilateral vision, facial deviation and difficulty speaking.
Sensibility: Reduced or loss of half-enting sensation.
Patients often have to lie motionless or have difficulty moving, leading to: Pneumonia, urinary tract infections, thrombosis, depression.
The risk of death is high if not detected and treated promptly.
