Cerebrovascular accident in diabetics

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Huynh An Thien - Neurosurgeon - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Da Nang International Hospital

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of cerebrovascular accident. This risk is increased more in people with diabetes when factors such as age, overweight, obesity, smoking, hypertension, heart disease, dyslipidemia or history of stroke, transient ischemic attack are present. brain blood. In order to prevent and reduce the risk of cerebrovascular accident as well as other complications, patients should be periodically re-examined for a comprehensive examination and multifactorial treatment by specialists.

1. Causes of cerebrovascular accident in diabetics

Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is the cause of early damage to endothelial cells, disrupting the endothelial function of blood vessels. When endothelial function is disturbed, fat molecules easily penetrate the endothelium, combined with increased adhesion and penetration ability of white blood cells into the endothelium, forming atheroma causing narrowing. vessel lumen. In addition, when the vascular endothelium is damaged, it will create favorable opportunities for vasoconstriction combined with platelet adhesion, forming intravascular thrombus and causing acute embolism. causing unstable angina, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction. Injury to cerebral blood vessels will also lead to cerebrovascular accident, cerebral infarction...; Injury to the limb arteries will lead to manifestations of arteritis of the extremities (interlaced gait), limb necrosis, amputation...
Depending on the part of the brain that is damaged, stroke patients will experience There are different complications, in which the common complications in people with diabetes are:
Paralysis of arms, legs, half or whole body: Complications can be overcome by performing physical therapy. Distorted mouth: This is caused by paralysis of the facial muscles, making it difficult for stroke patients to communicate and eat. Loss of memory, poor memory. Loss of ability to take care of themselves.

2. Risk factors for cerebrovascular accident in diabetics

Some risk factors for stroke in diabetics are:
Inactivity: People who are inactive have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease because of increased production of cholesterol - a type of fat in the blood that can cause accumulation on the walls of blood vessels if you are obese due to inactivity. Cholesterol is higher than normal: Most diabetic patients often have hyperlipidemia with cholesterol in the blood exceeding the allowable level, especially harmful cholesterol, making the process of atherosclerosis worse. the higher the risk of cerebrovascular accident. Importantly, these factors are often co-occurring in patients with diabetes. Hypertension: When blood pressure is high, the heart has to work harder to pump blood. High blood pressure can cause the heart to stretch and damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, eye and kidney complications. Smoking: People who smoke will increase the risk of cerebrovascular accident, so stopping smoking is especially important for diabetics because smoking and diabetes together cause narrowing. blood vessel. Family history of stroke: You cannot change this risk because of family factors. Once these factors are combined with diabetes, it will increase the risk of stroke many times. Therefore, in addition to family factors that cannot be changed, when treating diabetes, the impact of these risk factors must never be neglected, especially smoking habits, sedentary lifestyle, So the risk of complications is very likely if not properly controlled and treated.

3. Control complications of cerebrovascular accident in diabetics

Blood sugar control: Closely monitor blood sugar, blood clotting parameters, cholesterol index, triglycerides, blood pressure not to spike or drop excessively according to the doctor's treatment guidelines. Diet: Patients with diabetes should eat light food, limit sweets, eat less fat, don't use animal organs, don't smoke, and minimize the use of other stimulants such as: Alcohol, coffee... Should have a diet rich in vitamins and fiber, especially eat a lot of green vegetables, fresh fruits. Exercise: You should try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day on all days of the week. Take advantage of physical activity at any time, such as taking the stairs instead of taking the elevator to avoid diabetes complications. Control of hypertension against cerebral edema can be with glycerol (not used manital), orally aspegic 50mg daily. However, the use of these drugs must be prescribed by a specialist. When seeing cases of cerebrovascular accident such as sudden difficulty speaking, mouth distortion, weakness, hemiparesis, lethargy, blurred vision, etc., it is necessary to take the patient to the emergency room promptly. to reduce patient mortality and disability.
Stroke is a dangerous disease that needs to be prevented right from the time when there are no symptoms. Early screening for stroke is extremely important so that doctors can prescribe timely treatment.
Currently, Magnetic Resonance Imaging - MRI/MRA is considered a "golden" tool for brain stroke screening. MRI is used to check the condition of most organs in the body, especially valuable in detailed imaging of the brain or spinal nerves. Due to the good resolution and contrast, MRI images allow to detect abnormalities hidden behind bone layers that are difficult to detect with other imaging methods. MRI can give more accurate results than X-ray techniques (except DSA angiography) in diagnosing brain diseases, cardiovascular diseases, strokes,... Moreover, the process MRI scans do not cause the side effects seen in X-rays or computed tomography (CT).
Vinmec International General Hospital currently owns a 3.0 Tesla MRI System, which is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment by GE Healthcare (USA) with high image quality, allowing a comprehensive assessment, without omitting the injury without leaving any damage. and reduce shooting time. Silent technology helps to reduce noise, create comfort and reduce stress for the client during the shooting process, resulting in better image quality and shorter imaging time. With the state-of-the-art MRI system With the application of modern methods of cerebral vascular intervention, a team of experienced and well-trained neurologists and imaging specialists, Vinmec is a prestigious address for stroke risk screening and screening. reliable goods.
In the past time; Vinmec has successfully treated many cases of stroke in a timely manner, leaving no sequelae: saving the life of a patient suffering from 2 consecutive strokes; Responding to foreign female tourists to escape the "death door" of a stroke ;...

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