On October 27, the Press Conference called «Stroke as an urgent problem of medicine and society» took place in the House of Journalists.
In the framework of World Stroke Day, which is observed annually on October 29, visiting expert Galina I. NECHAEVA, MD, PhD, Professor of the Internal Medicine and Family Medicine (Postgraduate Course) Department, Cardiologist, and Anton A. BORT, Head of the Neurological Department of the Omsk Regional Clinical Hospital, Neurologist of the highest category, told about prevention, first aid, signs, and treatment of stroke.
Stroke remains the third leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases and cancer in Russia and many other countries. Even with a good stroke outcome, it is not always possible for a person to return to work and the old lifestyle. The risk of stroke increases progressively with age, and the main causes of stroke are cardiovascular diseases, especially arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis.
First of all, the fight against stroke must include proper preventive measures among both individuals and the population. Stroke can be prevented because the causes of its occurrence, methods of prevention, and treatment are well understood. The experience of both Russian and foreign researchers shows that in groups of the population where there is early detection, treatment, and regular medical checkups of patients with high blood pressure, it is possible to reduce the incidence of stroke by half.
- Everyone wants to warn themselves against a stroke, but only a few people do something about this! – mentioned Galina I. NECHAEVA. Except for genetic predisposition, the development of cardiovascular diseases depends on a lifestyle. Physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, bad habits – they all are crucial risk factors. But in patients with diagnosed cardiovascular diseases, it is also important to take prescribed medications.
A healthy lifestyle includes rational nutrition with limited animal fat and high-calorie carbs intake and inclusion of fresh vegetables, fruits, and fish products, weight control, and regular physical activity. It is also important to reduce alcohol consumption and quit smoking as these factors significantly increase the risk of stroke.
Moreover, Galina I. NECHAEVA paid attention to raising awareness and competence of stroke among the population. For this purpose, OSMU Clinic holds free health schools dedicated to diabetes, bronchial asthma, arterial hypertension, gastrointestinal diseases, and other relevant topics.
OSMU Press Center