Do not arbitrarily use drugs to increase cerebral circulation

This is an automatically translated article.

1. What is cerebral ischemia? The brain makes up only 2% of the total body weight, but it needs 20% of the blood from the heart, 25% of the oxygen in the circulatory system, and 25% of the blood sugar to maintain its functions. normal. If there is a problem with the blood supply to the brain, it will lead to lack of blood to the brain and affect the function of brain cells. Causes that affect blood flow to the brain can be blockage of blood vessels due to atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases or neurological diseases. When blood circulation to the brain stops for about 6 seconds, the patient may faint, but if cerebral circulation stops for 5 minutes, brain cells will die and cause severe sequelae. Therefore, cerebral ischemia is a dangerous disease, patients must not subjectively or arbitrarily take drugs without a doctor's prescription.

2. What are the signs of cerebral ischemia? Warning signs of cerebral ischemia include:
Headache, dizziness, dizziness Unsteady walking, unsteady feet, and easy falls Numbness and numbness in the limbs, impaired vision, impaired memory, and difficulty sleeping May be fainted. The above symptoms may only be "transient" for a few minutes, but in some cases, they can last for several tens of minutes. If the cause is not found and timely treatment measures are taken, the cerebral ischemia may recur continuously, adversely affecting the quality of life and potentially leading to a stroke.

3. Drugs that increase cerebral circulation Cinnarizine: has selective calcium channel blocker properties, reduces vasoconstrictor activity of some substances such as adrenaline, serotonin, from which the drug dilates cerebral blood vessels and improves cerebral circulation. . However, the drug can cause side effects such as digestive upset, epigastric pain, somnolence. Elderly patients should avoid long-term use of the drug because extrapyramidal symptoms, sometimes associated with signs of depression, may occur during prolonged treatment. Piracetam: has an effect on some neurotransmitters such as dopamine, acetylcholine, noradrenalin, ... The drug also helps to increase the mobilization and use of glucose without dependence on oxygen supply, maintaining energy synthesis. in the brain. In addition, piracetam also helps promote recovery from hypoxic brain injury by increasing the turnover of inorganic phosphates and reducing the accumulation of glucose and lactic acid. As a result, the drug helps to improve memory, learning ability and reduce symptoms of dizziness and vertigo. When used, the drug causes some side effects such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea or restlessness, irritability,... These side effects can be mitigated by reducing dose. Cerebrolysin: The drug crosses the blood-brain barrier and acts inside nerve cells. Drugs that have many effects on neurons including helping to proliferate, differentiate, regulate nerve cell function, enhance blood flow to the brain, and protect the brain from ischemic damage. out. The drug is often used for people with memory disorders, poor concentration, dementia due to cerebrovascular causes, cerebral infarction or stroke patients. Ginkgo biloba: this is the extract from ginkgo biloba leaves, contains many flavonoids that have the effect of eliminating free radicals, enhancing the release of catecholamines, preventing the destruction of cell membranes and maintaining brain metabolism such as increased consumption glucose, electrolyte balance under ischemic conditions. The drug is used in the case of cerebral circulatory disorders, dementia, memory impairment,... Saponin: this is one of the many roots of Panax ginseng. Saponin has the effect of improving memory and strengthening the body's resistance.
4. Should you arbitrarily use drugs to increase brain circulation? Currently, many people have headaches and mistakenly think that it is due to cerebral circulatory insufficiency, so they arbitrarily buy drugs to increase cerebral circulation, brain tonics to use without consulting a specialist. However, if a patient does not use the drug exactly as prescribed by the doctor, it can increase the risk of dangerous unwanted side effects. In fact, symptoms such as headache, dizziness, and lightheadedness can be caused by many causes such as vestibular disorders, neurasthenia ... not just cerebral ischemia. Therefore, it is best for patients to visit with a specialist to determine the exact cause of the disease and prescribe appropriate treatment.
After examination, the doctor will, depending on the type and degree of cerebral ischemia, choose the appropriate drug and dose. But there are some patients who arbitrarily increase the dose in the hope that better cerebral circulation will benefit memory and concentration. In fact, this is a completely wrong concept. Drugs (including drugs that are considered manic such as piracetam, ginkgo biloba) only have the ability to restore memory loss caused by cerebral circulatory disorders to normal levels, but are not capable of enhancing memory. Remember beyond normal. Arbitrarily increasing the dose or taking the drug when not sick will lead to many harms and may cause many side effects such as fatigue, trouble sleeping, digestive disorders, ...

5. Some notes when using drugs to increase cerebral circulation Patients absolutely do not arbitrarily use drugs to increase cerebral circulation without a doctor's prescription. If the drug must be used, it is not recommended to increase or decrease the dose arbitrarily, but to comply with the indications. In ischemia, it is necessary to use drugs such as piracetam, cerebrolysin. After achieving the goal of protecting the brain from damage, doctors often stop the patient from taking the drug. However, some people consider them to be brain tonics and arbitrarily take more. This does not help but can also be harmful. Caution when using cerebrolysin, piracetam if renal function is impaired because the drug is excreted by the kidneys. Use caution when using cerebrolysin, ginkgo biloba for people with high blood pressure. Note that ginkgo biloba should not be used in people with hyperthyroidism and piracetam should not be used in cases of liver failure. When taking the drug should pay attention to adverse interactions. For example, cinnarizine may increase the effectiveness of antihistamines, sedatives, and alcohol. Cerebrolysin increases the accumulation of MAOIs and antidepressants. Ginkgo biloba, on the other hand, is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure when taken with MAOIs. During use, the patient should pay attention to monitor the side effects of the drug to increase cerebral circulation and notify the doctor for timely treatment. Possible side effects include epigastric pain, gastrointestinal disturbances, sleep disturbances, extrapyramidal symptoms, restlessness, agitation or signs of depression. In addition to taking medication according to indications, patients need to adjust their diet appropriately, should not abuse stimulants. Increase regular exercise depending on your condition and health to circulate blood, improve circulation.
Cerebral ischemia is a dangerous disease, patients with cerebral circulatory insufficiency should not be subjective or underestimate the disease. If there are signs of cerebral ischemia, you should go to medical facilities to be examined by a specialist, find out the cause and have an effective treatment plan. You should not arbitrarily use drugs to increase cerebral circulation because the disease may not progress but there is also a risk of many dangerous side effects.
Follow Vinmec International General Hospital website to get more health, nutrition and beauty information to protect the health of yourself and your loved ones in your family.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.