In medicine, there is no such thing as a microstroke. There is only the term "stroke", which is an acute violation of cerebral circulation. A person has neurological symptoms within minutes. However, in practice, both doctors and patients often use the word "ministroke". How to define this disease? How is it different from a normal stroke? What are the signs and symptoms of pathology? Let's talk about it in this article.
Terminology
Microstroke is a necrosis of brain tissue that occurs due to a sharp narrowing of a small vessel. Often it is confused with a transient ischemic attack (TIA), when the nutrition of the brain worsens, and this leads to the appearance of temporary symptoms of disorders of the central nervous system of the body. It must be said that the attack is always reversible and does not bring the brain tissue to necrosis. A microstroke is characterized by the fact that necrotic changes are minimal, there is no complete irreversibility of the process. After that, the patient has a chance to recover andoffset.
How to identify a microstroke? In fact, this is the same as a normal stroke, only the first one affects the small vessels of the central nervous system. Therefore, the deviation is not so noticeable, and the recovery period is significantly reduced. A microstroke is quite insidious, because a person does not know what happened. Although the disease is the first warning, a wake-up call, the real risk of a real stroke increases in the future. It is possible to determine the occurred cerebral hemorrhage only after a post-mortem examination.
Main differences
According to statistics, about four hundred thousand cases of stroke occur annually, with thirty-five percent of cases ending in death. A microstroke is a necrosis of the brain tissue due to a blood clot or a sharp narrowing (ischemic) of a small vessel. Due to impaired blood supply to the brain tissue, point damage develops. Since the pathological process affects very small areas of the structure, there are no violations characteristic of the "classic" stroke.
What is the difference between a microstroke and a stroke? The main difference lies in the short duration, a transient ischemic attack manifests itself for several hours, and sometimes minutes. As a result, the capabilities of the brain are restored to a greater extent. With a stroke, as a rule, all processes are irreversible. In practice, in most cases, a microstroke is not diagnosed in a timely manner. The victim does not always understand what is happening to him. If athe patient seeks medical help in the first three hours, the chances of recovery are quite high. We will talk about how to determine a microstroke in a person below.
What causes pathology?
Most people believe that stroke and microstroke affect the elderly or people over forty-five. However, the risk of developing the disease greatly increases after thirty. At risk are weather-dependent people who are constantly in a state of chronic stress, overwork and excessive physical exertion.
In addition, it is worth noting that there are a number of pathologies, the development of which increases the risk of developing a transient ischemic attack:
- hypertension, high blood pressure;
- atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels;
- myocardial infarction;
- atrial fibrillation, tachyarrhythmia and bradyarrhythmia.
How to determine if there was a microstroke?
Some one sign can be attributed to the general malaise of the body, but if there are several symptoms, this is a sure sign of a transient ischemic attack. Consider the main ones:
- Numbness of the upper and lower extremities with complete loss of sensation, lack of control over the facial muscles.
- Weakness of arms and legs shows more on one side.
- Deviation in coordination, difficulties during movement, drunken gait syndrome.
- Impaired vision, the effect of bifurcation, scattering, not allowing you to see the samegood with two eyes.
- In most cases, a person loses consciousness briefly, while black or white spots flicker before the eyes.
- Problems with speech, it becomes slurred, burr, intermittent, lisping, the tongue swells and the person feels like he is out of control.
- The constant feeling of a lump in the throat, which is impossible to swallow, the appearance of a gag reflex, bouts of nausea.
- Chills and bumps on the skin, high blood pressure as a protective reaction of the body, inexplicable fatigue, dehydration.
Some symptoms are more pronounced depending on the affected area. If the disorders are localized in the left hemisphere, signs are observed on the right side of the body and vice versa. How to determine a microstroke in a person? You need to be careful and carefully monitor your he alth. It is worth noting that the symptoms are one-time in nature and are pronounced after jumps in blood pressure. The above signs are not detected at the same time, but if at least two or three coincide, you need to call a doctor. With timely medical care, the prognosis is quite favorable.
Sex differences, stroke in men
The above symptoms can occur in both sexes. But there are some signs that men are expressed more often and stronger. So, for example, consciousness is often confused, an uncontrolled feeling of fatigue, drowsiness and weakness appears. The stronger sex is more susceptiblethe following changes: unsteady gait, hearing loss, slurred speech, unexpected headaches.
Some symptoms occur with equal frequency in both sexes. It is worth noting that they have a complete absence of external manifestations of pathology.
The first signs and symptoms of a microstroke in women and men
It must be said that gradation takes place due to the functional characteristics of the organism. Women are more prone to the occurrence of a microstroke and its usual form of manifestation (stroke). This is due to the physiological characteristics of the fairer sex. There is a high risk of vascular disease and blood clots.
Transient ischemic attack in women is more secretive. Often, the symptoms of pathology are confused with manifestations of hormonal abnormalities. Representatives of the weaker sex tend to react more emotionally to problems, as a result of which a stressful situation develops. This increases the chance of being at risk.
Consider the first symptoms and signs of a microstroke in women and men:
- numbness and loss of sensation in facial muscles;
- Unpleasant tingling sensation in upper and lower limbs;
- rapid breathing, flushing of the face, convulsive uncontrolled muscle contractions;
- Goose skin effect at normal temperature;
- deviations in speech, there is difficulty in correctly constructing sentences, incomprehensibility of spoken words;
- a sharp headache that comesunexpectedly and in no way confirmed, sensation of blackout in the eyes, unexpected hiccups;
- disorders of a psychological type, outburst of uncontrollable emotions, depression, nervous breakdowns;
- sharp pain in the lower and upper limbs, loss of consciousness or orientation in space, coughing fits that make you choke;
- chest pain, rapid heart rate.
An interesting fact: women who smoke have a microstroke many times more often than men who smoke.
Prerequisites for violations in the work of blood vessels
Suspicion of a micro-stroke is impossible to single out somehow. All factors indicating the possibility of the appearance of pathology may indicate other diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
In fact, these are standard causes that provoke pathology. And yet, how to determine whether there was a microstroke? We will try to highlight the most common reasons that can be determined when collecting an anamnesis:
- wrong diet, which leads to constant overeating, unbalanced food intake, which contains excessive amounts of animal fats, and they adversely affect the body;
- overweight, sedentary, lack of dynamics;
- constant feeling of overwork, inadequate reaction to stress leading to nervous breakdowns, too much exercise;
- environmental situation leaves much to be desired, cardiological surgeries;
- dramatic climate change and coldweather.
Risk group
Above we talked about how a microstroke manifests itself. Now it's time to consider the categories of individuals and patients who are more at risk of stroke than other people. This list automatically includes individuals who lead an unhe althy lifestyle. Contrary to popular belief, age is not a defining criterion. During the session and exams, when the central part of the nervous system is rebooted, pathology can also manifest itself in students. Of course, a microstroke in the elderly is more common, but this is not the main factor. In women, the likelihood of developing a transient ischemic attack increases after the age of sixty, in the stronger sex - after forty.
The following categories of people fall into the risk group:
- People suffering from hypertension, that is, the problem of high blood pressure.
- Hereditary predisposition. If there was a case of a microstroke or myocardial infarction in the family, automatically all members of the cell of society fall into this group.
- Pregnant women are at risk, and women who use contraceptives should also be noted.
- Patients suffering from blood diseases, diabetes. The latter is capable of provoking blockage of cerebral vessels.
- People who suffer from obesity have a high chance of "falling into the hands" due to hypertension. Bad habits such as abusesmoking, alcohol and drugs contribute to the development of pathology.
- Problems with blood vessels are present in weather-dependent people who are hard on climate change and complain of headaches.
What should I pay attention to?
In some cases, it is easier for people from outside to see the pathology than for the victim himself. How to identify a microstroke?
First, you need to follow the attentiveness of the other person. For example, he firmly held the object in his hand and dropped it. He cannot immediately orient himself and pick it up. Secondly, the patient behaves as if he is intoxicated. Often there are bouts of hiccups. Thirdly, speech after a microstroke suffers greatly. The person with whom you had a lively conversation suddenly stops abruptly, his speech becomes incoherent, meaningless. To achieve an adequate answer, you have to repeat and ask several times. In most cases, the patient does not respond to calls, he is lost.
First Aid
What to do after a microstroke? The victim must be given first aid before the ambulance arrives. As already noted, signs and symptoms may vary depending on the gender of the patient and the localization of the focus. An external examination will not give any fruit, in any case, it is necessary to call an ambulance. The main goal of first aid is to stop damage to the central nervous system and minimize serious consequences.
Let's take a look at the step-by-step instructions:
- To the victimyou need to create absolute peace. The patient should be placed on high pillows with the head raised thirty degrees.
- If you have uncomfortable and tight clothing, you need to take it off, the room where the patient is located should be periodically ventilated.
- If a person is vomiting, turn their head to the side so that the masses do not enter the respiratory system of the body.
- If possible, you can make a hot bath for the legs, it is better to apply ice to the back of the head. One of the main goals is to calm the person, any sedative like valerian or hawthorn will do.
- It is not enough just to ensure peace, you must constantly ensure that the victim does not make sudden movements, does not try to get up.
- In this situation, a light head massage will not hurt: it is recommended to make circular strokes from the temples to the back of the head, from the crown of the head to the shoulder, then smoothly move to the knees.
Even if after some time the patient feels better, the ambulance call should not be canceled in any case. It is impossible to detect abnormalities in the work of the brain at home. The victim is likely to be hospitalized, where they will conduct a thorough examination and make a diagnosis.
Treatment
Diagnosis of a microstroke in women is almost nothing special. A microstroke often goes unnoticed by a person. Therefore, as a rule, it is possible to reveal the fact of its presence in the past only when undergoing an MRI of the brain. In the picture, you can examine in detail all the structures of the brain and see the smallest ones - down to the lobesmillimeters - lesions. With the help of MRI, it is also possible to monitor the dynamics of regression or "resorption" of pathological foci.
With a microstroke, cells die first. But due to the specifics of the attack, the lost brain functions are restored over time. To fully recover, it is necessary to provide medical assistance within the first three hours. To prescribe the optimal, most effective therapy, the doctor needs to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis and study the patient's medical history.
The approach to treatment varies from specialist to specialist. Complex therapy has proven itself well, including the following components:
- Thrombolytics. But the effect of thrombolytic therapy can be obtained only within 72 hours from the onset of thrombosis.
- Anticoagulants - heparin and its low molecular weight analogues.
- Disaggregants - means that prevent the “knocking down” of blood cells: Aspirin, Clopidogrel, etc.
- Diuretics, especially Mannitol.
- Antihypertensive drugs - used as "emergency" drugs, as well as permanent, specially selected therapy in the recovery period.
- Neuroprotectors - a wide group of drugs and vitamins to support brain cells at the recovery stage - an antioxidant complex, B vitamins, magnesium, nootropics and so on.
Drugs for microstroke are prescribed individually in each case. The main goal of any therapy is to preventnew seizure. After all, after a micro-stroke, the likelihood of a full-fledged stroke automatically increases. Sometimes this pathology occurs in newborns and young children. Treatment in this situation should be given special attention. Most medicines are quite aggressive and not intended for children.
After the main treatment, maintenance therapy is necessary. In the process of rehabilitation, it is recommended to use massage, therapeutic exercises, and take classes with a speech therapist. A balanced diet, as well as the principle of maintaining a he althy lifestyle, also contributes to recovery after a microstroke. Foreign experts say with confidence that pine cones are an effective method during rehabilitation.
Consequences
The manifestation of brain tissue necrosis is often associated with depression, nervous breakdowns, fatigue, overexertion at work, etc. Even if the signs are not pronounced, the consequences can be the most serious: inexplicable irritability and aggression, memory impairment, distraction and etc. Emotional deviations are more characteristic of the fairer sex. In men, deviations in cerebral blood supply are manifested by malfunctions in the functioning of internal organs and sexual dysfunction. In some cases, numbness of the limbs occurs.
The consequences of a micro-stroke can be very serious. According to statistics, complications appear in the first three days. The majority significantly increases the likelihood of developing an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. More than halfaffected in the future experiences transient ischemic attack permanently.
As for the consequences of a microstroke suffered on the legs, they do not manifest themselves. The only thing is that such a symptom greatly complicates the diagnosis and often causes all sorts of complications. Eliminating the causes that caused the attack will speed up a full recovery.
Preventive measures
The first stroke is the body's main warning. This is a signal that you need to carefully monitor your he alth. To minimize the possibility of developing another micro-stroke, you must follow the recommendations:
- You need to check your blood pressure, this is a prerequisite for prevention, because high blood pressure is considered the most common cause of a microstroke.
- Need to give up bad habits. Drinking alcoholic beverages after suffering a stroke is contraindicated.
- Adjust your diet. The main thing is to prevent obesity, you should get rid of excess weight. A nutritionist and a neurologist will make you a diet to follow.
- Where without sports. Physical activity is welcome in any of its directions. Exercise not only strengthens the body and spirit, but also improves the performance of the brain.
- Good sleep and the ability to find a way out of stressful situations are important components of preventive measures.
In this material, we talked about what a microstroke is, its consequences andtreatment, as well as the causes of occurrence and risk groups. We can conclude that despite a favorable prognosis, you should not delay with medical help. Self-medication is only suitable as first aid, there is no other way. This is not only inefficient, but also dangerous. You need to know about the signs of a microstroke and how to prevent it. Perhaps in the future this knowledge will save someone's life.
