Stroke, second disease after a traumatic brain injury

After a traumatic brain injury, a stroke of cerebral anemia is the second disease causing disability. Sequelae after stroke is often a half-paralyzed victim .

Atherosclerosis: 80% of the causes of stroke

Mr. ĐTS, born in 1941, an officer of the Medical Training and Fostering Center, was hospitalized in full body paralysis, both legs and arms, lost his ability to speak. Before that, Mr. S. had a history of arrhythmia, high blood pressure.

Doctors assess patients with moderate nerve damage. However, since the patient was given emergency care early, after receiving intensive treatment, most symptoms recovered completely.

80% of strokes due to cerebral anemia are due to atherosclerosis. The process of atherosclerosis is a long process, so most patients are older. However, because of the natural event, especially congenital heart disease, the remaining 20% ​​may still have younger patients.

Male patient with TTT, residing in Phu Nhuan - Ho Chi Minh City, had to be admitted to the hospital 115 because of stroke due to cerebral infarction when he was 29 years old. Mr. TT has congenital heart valve disease. When he was admitted to the hospital, he was also paralyzed, showing signs of hypotension and coma.

Second stroke, disease causing disability

Patients with transient stroke, must also go to the emergency.In the photo: Taking care of a stroke patient at People's Hospital 115 Neurology Department (Photo: BS Kim Lien)

Every year, only in Neurology BV 115, 1,500 - 1,800 acute strokes because of cerebral anemia are received and treated.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability, ranking second after a traumatic brain injury.

According to GS. Dr. Le Van Thanh, Department of Neurology - Ho Chi Minh City Medical Training and Fostering Center, an epidemiological investigation in the South in 1996 shows that every year, hospitals in the city received treatment for about 9,100 patients with cerebral ischemic stroke, of which 1,310 deaths.

Symptoms of a stroke appear suddenly, usually at the same time from two or more symptoms: Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body. Suddenly speaking hard, not understanding or losing everything. Sudden vision problems, 1 or 2 eyes. Sudden walking difficulty, dizziness, loss of balance or dyskinesia in coordination. Sudden headache, vomiting and other symptoms.

"The risk of stroke increases with age. After 50 years of age, the risk of stroke increases by 2 times every 10 years. Over 65 years of age, the risk of stroke increases 7 times," BSCK II Nguyen Thi Kim Lien, Head of Internal Medicine Sutra - BV 115 People, said.

According to Dr. Lien, transient strokes start with stroke-like symptoms, but after about 1 hour of complete recovery. However, it is a warning for more severe and irreversible strokes, especially when adding risk factors: smoking, alcohol consumption, drug abuse, hypertension, heart disease. , diabetes, increased cholesterol.

Patients often will have paralysis of the body, limbs, loss of balance, difficulty swallowing, difficulty chewing, difficulty speaking, unable to communicate. Especially patients with syndrome after stroke, dementia. Paralysis, blindness or staggering in the world of healthy people make people sick with emotions such as depression, anxiety and boredom.

First aid as soon as possible

Blood clots are a major cause of clogging the arteries that supply blood to the brain.(Photo: BS Kim Lien)

When the blood is drained, the brain stops, every 2 million neurons die every minute. Therefore, the time to treat stroke due to cerebral infarction is best before 3 hours.

Previously, for the treatment of stroke due to cerebral ischemia, the doctors mainly treated with methods to support the patient's overall condition, prevent recurrence for the next time.

Drugs to treat stroke include: anti-thromboats or anticoagulants that help prevent or reduce the likelihood of a blood clot causing blockage of the brain arteries or blood flow, the main cause of stroke.

In addition, surgery is also a way to prevent stroke such as surgery to remove atherosclerosis causing narrowing of arteries, repair of damaged blood vessels or deformities in the brain or outside the brain .

Currently, Gia Dinh People's Hospital and People's Hospital 115 are deploying a method of treating stroke: venous thromboembolism drug. An Binh Hospital and Trung Vuong Rescue Hospital will apply this method in the near future. This is a specific ischemic treatment.

With this drug, patients can recover very quickly and leave the hospital within 5-6 days, instead of more than 20 days when treated with previous methods.

Prof. Dr. Le Van Thanh said that by this specific treatment, the doctors have the opportunity to save more than 32 people. The number of people with good recovery and reduction of disability is 130 people.

The most restrictive of this method is that the drug is only effective when administered intravenously with a time of onset of less than 3 hours. In addition, the price of treatment drugs is very expensive. In the US and some European countries, the official price of fibrinolytic drugs is USD 2,500 / box of 2 bottles. In Vietnam, a box of drugs costs 18 million dong

On the advice of doctors, it is unpredictable that the stroke will only be transient or progressive or fatal. When there are neurological symptoms, the patient must receive emergency treatment and not wait for self-healing

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