Pay attention to the symptoms: these illnesses cause a cerebral infarction

When you finish reading this note, one person in the world will have died of a stroke. To be more precise, a death from this disease occurs every four minutes.

“It is a serious health problem that today has doctors specializing in emergencies, in intensive care, in critical areas of the entire health sector,” says Dr. Daniel Sánchez Arreola, member of the Mexican Society of Emergency Medicine.

“Cerebral infarction is today, unfortunately, the first cause of disability and the second cause of death worldwide,” the doctor emphasizes.

Perhaps some are not familiar with the term, but they will have heard of embolism or stroke, which refer to the same disease.

A cerebral infarction, explains the specialist, occurs when blood becomes blocked in one of the arteries of the brain.

“It happens suddenly and, unfortunately, it can happen to anyone at school, at work, in a public place… It is a serious problem.”

In an interview with the Diario, Dr. Sánchez points out that cerebral infarctions are closely related to chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol and triglyceride problems.

A patient with these conditions, he points out, is four to six times more likely to suffer a stroke at some stage in their life.

“Before, we said that age was a risk factor, but today, with lifestyle changes, we are seeing very young people, 40 or 45 years old, arriving at emergency rooms.”

The doctor highlights that the main enemy is time, because for every minute that passes without a person suffering from a cerebral infarction receiving treatment, they lose almost two million neurons.

“The consequences that remain, not being able to speak, not being able to walk… unfortunately, depend on how quickly a person gets to the hospital.”

According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey, more than 50% of the Mexican population already has at least diabetes and hypertension. “For the next 20 years, if we do nothing now to change the course of these diseases, by 2030 more than 60% of the population will be at risk of walking through the doors of an emergency room due to a stroke.”

The doctor points out that the disease represents a high financial expense, since it is estimated that a family with a patient with this disease can pay $900,000 a year.

For this reason, he highlights, prevention campaigns such as the CHAMELEÓN Strategy are important.

What is the CHAMELEON Strategy?

“CHAMELEON”, explains the doctor, is an acronym that represents the most important signs and symptoms of cerebral infarction: Ca (hanging face, that is, when the mouth goes to one side), Ma (heavy hand, the strength in one hand decreases or foot), LE (tongue tied, when speaking slowly or slurred) and ÓN (call to action, that is, call the emergency number 911 or take the person to a hospital as soon as possible ). The doctor also says that people who have already suffered a stroke in the past are six times more likely to return to a hospital.

“That’s why a person who has already suffered a stroke has to permanently take medication, such as anticoagulants to prevent the blood from becoming obstructed again, and we must follow up with health services to improve glucose levels.” .

The doctor says that there is little data on the incidence of the disease in the country, but some studies indicate 230 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. “We are talking about approximately 150,000 to 200,000 cases of cerebral infarctions per year.”— IVÁN CANUL EK

Exorbitant expenses

Dr. Sánchez Arreola points out that the disease represents a high financial expense, since it is estimated that a family with one patient can pay $900,000 a year.

Lifelong medication

“That’s why a person who has already suffered a cerebral infarction has to permanently take medication, such as anticoagulants to prevent the blood from becoming obstructed again, and we must follow up with health services, improve glucose levels,” he assured.

Alarming figures

The doctor says that there is little data on the incidence of the disease in the country, but some studies indicate that “there are approximately 150,000 to 200,000 cases of cerebral infarctions per year.”

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