Third cause of death in France, the stroke affects approximately 150,000 people a year. According to the foundation for research on strokes, one in 5 people will one day face it during their lifetime. But it is not a fatality, certain measures make it possible to reduce this risk. It is estimated that 80 % of strokes can be avoided thanks to changes in lifestyle, such as physical exercise, food and other measures. Discover the 7 habits to lose to avoid stroke.
Have a sedentary lifestyle
In the Huffington Post, Dr. Arthur Wang, director of endovascular neurosurgery, recalls that one of the main risk of stroke is a sedentary lifestyle. But what do we mean by sedentary? This overall means spending too much time sitting or lying down and not enough time to exercise and move. “”It has been shown that regular physical activity helps prevent the obstruction of blood vessels. It prevents the accumulation of plates in the arteries “ said Dr. Wang. An activity of 30 minutes 5 times a week is recommended.
Ignore high blood pressure
Blood tension is probably the factor that has the most impact on your vascular health and which exposes you the most to a stroke. Reducing high blood pressure would reduce the risk of being hit by 60%. Problem, hypertension is often masked, devoid of symptoms … The first thing to do is therefore to become aware of your own risk, to be examined, monitoring and treating, if necessary.
Avoid regular checks
Are you annoyed about your doctor and take time? However, they are essential: a patient will never know that his blood pressure is high, nor if it has too high cholesterol levels, unless you carry out regular tests or screenings. Do not neglect these routine visits to the various ages of life to detect problems such as hypercholesterolemia and high blood pressure, or other risk factors linked to your blood sugar or weight. Taking into account your state of health as a whole and your history, your doctor is able to provide you with personalized prevention advice.
Still smoke
As experts recall, smoking increases the risk of stroke and heart disease directly. “Smoking causes a narrowing of blood vessels over time, which can ultimately lead to blockages from blood flow towards a part of the brain, which is essentially what a stroke is”, he explained.
Drink alcohol with excess
Logically associated with certain cancers or liver diseases, alcohol is also a risk factor for brain vascular accidents (AVC). The consumption recommendations are not to exceed more than ten standard glasses per week and never more than two glasses per day, not every day!
No longer follow a balanced diet
Admittedly, it is important to have fun sometimes but a balanced diet remains the rule to limit your risk of stroke. This implies moderating the consumption of foods rich in saturated fats, sugar and salt, to favor fruits and vegetables, meat and processed products.
Neglect the necessary treatments
Preventive stroke treatments are all the more effective since they are implemented quickly. If you have certain risk factors, see your doctor to set up the care that will save you. And don’t forget to follow your prescription well, even in the absence of symptoms.
Stroke: the symptoms that should alert
There are two main types of brain vascular accidents (stroke): ischemic and hemorrhagic. In 80 % of cases, it is an ischemic stroke, caused by a clot that plugs a cerebral artery. Conversely, in 20 % of cases, it is a hemorrhagic stroke, due to the rupture of the wall of an artery causing cerebral hemorrhage. But in both cases, you have to go fast, as Professor Sonia Alamowitch, vice-president of French Neuro-Vascular Society described in a previous interview.
“Every minute of interruption of blood circulation results in the death of 2 million neurons”. She also pointed out that “Existing treatments are only effective a few hours after the symptoms start, as long as lesions are not too extensive “.
The stroke manifests itself by “the brutal installation of a loss of neurological functions”. This loss may concern:
- Mobilitywith “a paralysis that affects half of the body, or hemiplegia “ (face, arms, leg), often accompanied by balance disorders;
- The sensitivitybecause “We no longer feel a significant part of our body “ ;
- Languagewith aphasia, that is to say “an inability to express themselves or understand”;
- The visionwith “A sudden loss of vision on one side “.
In cases of meningeal hemorrhage, a specific symptom must alert: “An extremely brutal, violent and unusual headache. It is really a special presentation”said the expert.
Finally, professor Alamowitch finally regretted that “Too many patients or relatives, faced with alert symptoms, do not react quickly “. She insisted: “The reaction in the first minutes, the first hours is what allows us to treat patients as quickly as possible. Do not stay at home or think that it will pass: you must immediately contact the SAMU by composing the 15 “.
React quickly in case of stroke
Preventing help in the face of such an emergency is essential. Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor, reminds us of the signs that must alert you:
“”Remember that if you are faced with a person who makes a stroke, the acronym that must be remembered is Fast ::
- Face, for the paralysis that touches the face, sometimes simply the mouth;
- Has for arm or arm in English, because the weakness of the arm is a sign of stroke;
- S for speech the word in English, due to the troubles of the words which can occur during a stroke too;
- And finally T for Time, time: it is necessary to act quickly, even if these signs are not accumulated, that they are temporary and return to normal after a certain time“.