Stroke: General Information, Articles

Atrial fibrillation is considered to be one of the most common risk factors of a stroke. Approximately 15% of stroke patients also suffer from atrial fibrillation. Regular diagnostics should be conducted in patients with atrial fibrillation to lower the risk of stroke.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is considered to be the major stroke risk factor as well. Blood pressure is the pressure of blood vessels` walls, this is the main difference between blood pressure and atmospheric pressure. Arterial blood pressure is the pressure of large arteries. Arterial pressure is a vital part of cardiovascular system. When blood pressure is measured, two figures are taken into account. The upper figure - systolic blood pressure - shows the pressure which occurs during heart contractions, when blood enters the arteries. Here the effort that heart produces is measured. The lower figure - diastolic blood pressure - shows the pressure which occurs when the heart muscle relaxes. The magnitude of the pressure fluctuation is not the same for different parts of the vascular system: the further it is located from the heart, the less noticeable is the difference. A typical blood pressure of a healthy person (systolic / diastolic) = 120/80 mm Hg.

Women are more likely to suffer from this disease than men. However, men suffer from stroke at an earlier age than women. In some cases stroke can have a fatal outcome due to complications. Life expectancy in women is longer as they suffer from stroke later in their life, therefore the mortality rate is higher for women than for men. Fatal outcome from stroke is  2 times more  common than from breast cancer.

To pick up, let’s say, a coin lying on the table, you need to perform a whole number of exact and coordinated finger and hand movements. Performing movements like these requires full control over the muscles, reflexes and fingers position. Motor disorders after a stroke can make light movements impossible and they have to be restored. Motor disorders after a stroke can make light movements impossible and they have to be restored.

Nowadays doctors actively develop methods of treatment of cardiovascular pathologies, as breakthrough is this area is of a high social significance. This can be explained by the fact that various disorders of the cardiovascular system are the main cause of premature death or disability. According to statistics of death causes in the Russian Federation, the primary death cause among population is coronary heart disease (25.8%), the second one - cerebrovascular diseases (21.5%), and the third - cancer.

There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, which develops when the vessels are clogged (thrombosis of the brain vessels) and hemorrhagic, which develops when the vessels rupture(bleeding into the membranes and ventricles of the brain).

Cholesterol is an organic compound and natural fatty (lipophilic) substance. It is insoluble in water, but it is soluble in fats and organic solvents. About 80% of cholesterol is produced by the body itself (by liver, intestines, kidneys, adrenals and sex glands), the remaining 20% the body gets with the food. The body constitutes of 80% of free and 20% of bound cholesterol. Cholesterol provides stability to cell membranes in a wide range of temperatures. This substance is necessary for vitamin D production and for development of various steroid hormones by adrenal glands. These hormones include cortisol, cortisone, aldosterone, female sex hormones - estrogen and progesterone, the male sex hormone - testosterone.

Approximately 10 million Russians suffer from diabetes mellitus. The risk of developing stroke in diabetic patients is 4 times higher than in healthy people. The reason for this are the complications caused by diabetes.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease when artery walls become dense and lose elasticity. The lumen of the arteries narrows and a result of that is subsequent violation of blood supply to organs. Atherosclerosis usually affects the entire arterial system of the body(although not in an even way).

A person can mostly change all these risk factors by leading a healthy lifestyle and following certain rules.