An ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke, accounting for 80% of cases. It is also commonly called a “brain attack or infarction” and occurs when blood flow is partially or completely blocked to a part of the brain.
The blood supply provides oxygen and nutrients to each of the parts of our body, which is vital to keep our cells alive and for them to prosper and carry out their normal functions. When it is disturbed and stops, as in the case of a stroke, brain cells can die within minutes with a consequent loss of neurological function and permanent damage to patients.
One of the main causes of ischemic stroke is arterosclerosiswhich is considered the origin of half of these events, this is a condition in which lipid and cholesterol deposits accumulate on the inner walls of the blood vessels that carry blood to the different parts of the body (arteries), this accumulation or plaque causes a narrowing and blockage of blood flow, in this case, in the arteries that supply blood to the brain.
The plaques that form due to atherosclerosis can also cause lesions or the formation of clots that, by breaking off and traveling to smaller blood vessels in the brain, can cause blockage of blood flow with the consequent brain attack that can lead to death. .
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year there are regarding 800,000
strokes with more than 140,000 deaths and the rest of the surviving patients are left with disabilities. The most alarming thing regarding these figures is that the 80% of these events are totally preventableThus, avoiding the following three habits (and more) that are modifiable risk factors will greatly decrease your chance of having an ischemic stroke. These are:
- overweight or obesity
- Sedentary life with little or no physical activity
- Poor nutrition with an unbalanced diet rich in sugars and fats
These three habits increase the probability of suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes and presenting a significant increase in cholesterol levels and blood triglycerides which can lead to arterosclerosiswhich are the main medical factors that increase the risk of having a stroke.
Likewise, other important risk factors are tobacco use, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages and the use of contraceptive pills, mainly those containing estrogens, which increase the risk of blood clots for cerebrovascular events in general.
Finally, a stroke of any kind is a medical emergency that must be attended to immediately. Depending on how long the brain area was kept without blood flow, complications can occur such as: paralysis on one side of the body or loss of control of certain muscles, difficulty speaking or swallowing, memory loss, difficulty thinking, emotional problems, pain or a tingling sensation somewhere in your body and, in the worst case, death.
So our best ally to avoid this type of event is to reduce, as far as possible, the risk factors related to ischemic strokes.
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