Education and prevention of stroke are of great importance because those who know the risk factors can better prevent them. A stroke rarely comes suddenly out of the blue. In Germany, it is the third most common cause of death.
Stroke is one of the most common diseases related to our blood vessels. What are the causes of this?
Liepert: Risk factors are high blood pressure, high blood lipids, a blood sugar disorder, smoking, obesity, or lack of exercise. But clots can also originate from the heart and cause a stroke. There is also a hereditary risk.
What exactly happens during a stroke?
Liepert: Usually the trigger is a lack of blood supply (ischaemia) to the brain or a cerebral haemorrhage. The brain is no longer supplied with sufficient oxygen, and within a very short time nerve cells die. Cell death occurs. In peripheral areas of an insufficiently supplied brain area, the blood supply is also clearly reduced, but the cells only temporarily stop their activity because a minimum of oxygen and nutrients is still transported. It is precisely these areas that can still be saved with early therapy.
Are there regions of the brain that are particularly frequently affected by a stroke?
Liepert: Yes, but basically every region of the brain can be affected. With imaging diagnostics, computers, or magnetic resonance tomography, the neurologist can quickly localise the region. The symptoms can also be used to quickly draw conclusions about the affected regions.
How can you recognise a stroke, are there signs that indicate it?
Liepert: Often, but by no means always, a stroke is dramatic for everyone involved. Typically, symptoms appear suddenly. Temporary functional disturbances can become noticeable beforehand, e.g. visual disturbances in one eye, paralysis of one arm or half of the face, sensory disturbances in the area of the face, arm or leg, speech disturbances in finding and understanding words, or double vision. In such cases, the emergency services should be alerted immediately.
Does it mainly affect older people or are there also young people affected?
Liepert: Mostly older people are affected, but a stroke can occur at any age. Especially in younger people, haemorrhages in the vessel walls, so-called dissections, can also be the cause of a stroke. They often occur spontaneously, but can also be caused by sports accidents or a rear-end collision. Other causes can be a large hole in a heart wall or heart valve inflammation or vascular inflammation, but congenital blood clotting disorders can also cause strokes.
How can I protect myself and prevent a stroke?
Liepert: The decisive factors here are knowledge and education as well as active prevention. Vascular diseases can be reduced by a healthy and balanced lifestyle, through regular exercise, sport, and a healthy diet. It is also of great importance that patients are admitted to a neurological stroke unit in time, where optimal care can take place. If this happens, permanent damage can often be avoided, which can not only put a great strain on the person himself but also on his entire social environment.
You mention the burdens on the entire environment, how do these manifest themselves?
Liepert: More than a third of stroke patients develop depression sooner or later, which very often requires treatment. But the problem also affects the relatives, who invest a lot of time and energy in caring for those affected.
You already referred to rapid first aid before, why is this so important?
Liepert: “Time is brain” is an established concept here. Within the first 4.5 hours after the onset of symptoms, one can apply lysis treatment, which is intended to dissolve the blood clot and is administered in the form of a one-hour infusion. The sooner this treatment is started, the greater the chances of saving brain tissue.
What are the treatment options?
Liepert: This varies greatly and depends on the particular damage to the patient. So we put together an individual therapy plan. In doing so, we can draw on a broad spectrum of therapies and use the most modern therapy equipment. Through our research institute, we also succeed in constantly developing new therapy innovations.
