Stroke, also known as cerebral apoplexy, is one of the leading causes of disability and death in our country. Among every 100,000 people, there are 120-180 stroke cases and 60-120 deaths due to stroke. Stroke is like a ghost that can penetrate anywhere, threatening the health of the elderly. Hypertension, arteriosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, heart disease, congenital cerebrovascular diseases and other conditions can all lead to the occurrence of stroke.
Hypertension easily triggers stroke, this is not an exaggerated statement. Stroke includes both cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction. In patients with cerebral hemorrhage, 93% had a history of hypertension before the onset; in patients with cerebral infarction, 86% had a history of hypertension before the onset. It can be seen that the risk of stroke has a great relationship with blood pressure levels.
The main reason why hypertension leads to stroke is its tendency to cause changes in the structure of the heart and brain vessels. When blood pressure rises, it causes spasm in the body's small arteries. If the blood pressure remains high for a long time, the arteries will remain in spasm for a long time, causing deformation of the vessel walls due to lack of oxygen. The walls thicken, the lumen narrows, elasticity decreases, thus forming or aggravating the formation of arteriosclerosis. Factors such as hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, increased blood viscosity, etc., make it easier to accelerate the formation of thrombosis.
If the antihypertensive effect is poor or the patient does not take medication as prescribed by the doctor, causing large fluctuations in blood pressure, it can lead to repeated arterial spasm, resulting in cerebral tissue bleeding, edema, or hyaline degeneration of the arterial wall, forming dissecting aneurysms, which trigger cerebral hemorrhage.
For patients with hypertension, having high blood pressure does not necessarily lead to stroke. On the contrary, failing to follow the doctor's advice on taking medication, as well as incorrect diet and lifestyle habits, are the root causes of the disease. For example: long-term hypertension without appropriate antihypertensive treatment; although taking medicine on time, the blood pressure remains at a high level for a long time; intermittent antihypertensive treatment, frequent sudden increases in blood pressure; not paying attention to triggering factors such as climate emotional changes and excessive fatigue of the body; excessive antihypertensive treatment often causes ischemic stroke due to low blood pressure at night; moreover, having diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity and other diseases makes it more likely to cause the occurrence of stroke.
1. Strictly control blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg. The younger the age, the stricter the control should be. It’s best to monitor blood pressure changes daily, at least once a week.
2. Persist in taking antihypertensive drugs and do not stop medication arbitrarily. Follow the doctor's advice to adjust antihypertensive drugs (combined with hypertensive dietary therapy methods).
3. Stably control blood pressure for 24 hours, minimize blood pressure fluctuations, and avoid lowering blood pressure too much.
4. Control blood glucose, blood lipids, and blood viscosity.
5. Reduce weight to reach normal standards.
6. Quit smoking and drinking, maintain a low-salt, low-fat diet.
7. Persist in aerobic exercise, such as jogging, swimming, cycling, practicing Tai Chi, etc. Exercise for more than 30 minutes each day, at least five times a week.
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