Prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke: how to avoid heart attack and stroke or their recurrence
The content of the article:
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Primary prevention of heart attack and stroke in women and men
- Proper nutrition
- Body weight control
- Physical activity
- Bad habits
- Adequate rest and increased stress resistance
- Health monitoring
- Secondary prevention of stroke and heart attack in men and women
- Video
Prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke includes almost the same measures, since these diseases have similar risk factors. Some of them (genetic predisposition, age, gender) cannot be controlled, but the elimination of others can minimize the risk of developing these dangerous vascular diseases.
Primary prevention of heart attack and stroke is characterized by the term "healthy lifestyle"
Myocardial infarction is an acute cardiac disease, a complication of ischemic heart disease, in which a part of the heart muscle becomes necrotic, causing an irreversible decrease in its function. Stroke is an acute disorder of cerebral circulation. Both after suffering myocardial infarction and after a stroke, patients have a high risk of complications, death and relapse. Both diseases occur due to blockage of a vessel (heart attack - coronary, stroke - cerebral), which is most often due to vascular pathology. Myocardial infarction and stroke are among the main causes of death and disability in the population. These diseases are so similar that ischemic stroke is also called cerebral infarction.
Primary prevention of heart attack and stroke in women and men
Primary prevention is aimed at preventing the development of the disease, and secondary prevention is aimed at preventing relapse.
Primary prevention of both heart attack and stroke can be described in one phrase - a healthy lifestyle. This concept includes proper nutrition, moderate and regular physical activity, control of body weight, rejection of bad habits, increased stress resistance, good rest, for patients at risk - control of blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
The Patient Alert below expands on each of these points.
Proper nutrition
Rational nutrition implies constant adherence to a balanced diet that satisfies all the body's needs for nutrients and balances the energy balance (calories consumed by the body are equal to those consumed).
Proper nutrition is one of the main measures for the prevention of many diseases.
It is recommended to take a dairy-plant diet as the basis of the diet, i.e., easily digestible food, enriched with vitamins (first of all, vitamin C) and minerals (especially potassium and magnesium). Fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meats, fish, seafood, dairy and sour milk products are recommended. Sugars should be represented mainly by complex, so-called slow carbohydrates - cereals, pasta, whole grain and rye bread. You should limit the use of animal fats, sugar and table salt. The diet is also important - it is advisable to eat often, but in small portions, avoiding severe hunger or overeating.
Body weight control
Correction of excess body weight will help prevent the occurrence of vascular pathology, since excess weight contributes to an increase in blood pressure, the development of shortness of breath, diabetes mellitus, that is, those conditions that pose an immediate threat to the cardiovascular system.
If necessary, slightly reduce the daily calorie intake until normal weight is reached. Extreme diets for weight loss are not suitable for the prevention of vascular disease.
Physical activity
The human body is not able to function normally in conditions of hypodynamia. For the prevention of vascular pathology, adequate, that is, moderate, but daily physical activity is shown. Any physical activity that doesn't cause fatigue will do, from gym workouts and dancing to amateur gardening. An adequate load is provided by walking at an accelerated pace, so people who are unable to play sports need to walk in the fresh air for 30-40 minutes every day.
Bad habits
Tobacco smoking and alcohol abuse are factors that inevitably cause disturbances in the blood vessels. Nicotine has a vasoconstrictor effect, every act of smoking leads to vasospasm, especially small ones. This spasm, which occurs several times a day for several years, damages blood vessels and intensifies the action of other adverse factors, such as malnutrition. Passive smoking is just as harmful.
The abuse of alcoholic beverages similarly affects the state of blood vessels, causing either their spasm or expansion. In addition, alcohol causes dehydration, which is an additional traumatic factor in relation to cardiovascular disease.
Smoking and alcohol abuse should be abandoned once and for all.
Adequate rest and increased stress resistance
Experts attribute frequent stressful situations, overwork, insufficient sleep to the main factors in the development of heart attack and stroke, often they are the ones that trigger the pathological process. Violations of the cardiovascular system are more often observed in people who are unable to control their emotions, irritable, suspicious, overly impressionable, anxious. Insufficient rest contributes to the development of just such a model of behavior, increases exposure to stress. First of all, it is necessary to establish a full-fledged night's sleep, be sure to take weekends, which are devoted to easy communication with pleasant people, walks, hobbies. It is helpful to master a few relaxation techniques.
Adequate rest is a prerequisite for maintaining health
If a person is unable to cope with anxiety, irritability and similar problems on their own, you need to use the help of a psychologist or psychotherapist.
Health monitoring
Diabetes mellitus contributes to the development of cardiovascular pathologies, in particular, the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke increases tenfold. According to medical statistics, about 80% of patients with diabetes and pre-diabetes die from cardiovascular disease. Therefore, patients with impaired carbohydrate metabolism require regular monitoring of the blood glucose level and its correction, if necessary.
It is also important to check the indicators of the lipid spectrum in the blood. If hypercholesterolemia is detected, a diet will be required, and in some cases, drug therapy.
People prone to hypertension should keep their blood pressure under control, taking timely action if it rises. It should also be borne in mind that high blood pressure should not be "brought down" too abruptly - this increases the risk of developing myocardial infarction.
People over 40 years old (even in the absence of any symptoms) are advised to regularly visit a cardiologist with an electrocardiographic study for preventive purposes. During the annual medical examination, a number of laboratory tests may be required (lipid profile, blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, ferritin, homocysteine, creatinine, etc.).
As for drug prophylaxis, no special medications are required to be taken without the need, determined only by the attending physician. This applies to multivitamins, dietary supplements, and any miracle pills advertised in the media.
Secondary prevention of stroke and heart attack in men and women
Secondary prevention means preventing a recurrence in patients who have suffered a stroke or myocardial infarction, as well as preventing the development of complications and death with the existing disease.
Patients with acute circulatory disorders need preventive medical examinations
In addition to activities that are used as primary prevention, secondary prevention can include taking medications, performing physiotherapy procedures, and spa treatment.
Of the drugs for the secondary prevention of heart attack and stroke, indirect anticoagulants, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, calcium antagonists, etc. can be prescribed.
Medicines based on acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin, etc.) are widely used for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Acetylsalicylic acid in small doses has a pronounced antithrombotic effect, which is of no small importance, since heart attack and stroke often occur with thrombosis or embolism of blood vessels.
Supportive drug therapy after myocardial infarction or stroke is usually prescribed for a long course, in some cases it can be lifelong.
The use of folk remedies can also be effective, but all of them, without exception, must be coordinated with the attending physician.
After suffering an acute vascular disorder, exercise therapy is indicated. At first, the patient should perform exercises under the supervision of a doctor or a special instructor, strictly observing the principle of gradualness, starting with simple exercises and slowly, allowing the body to adapt, increasing the load. After the completion of rehabilitation, in the absence of contraindications, swimming, walking, jogging, skiing, yoga, Pilates are recommended as a necessary load. It is necessary to start training for people who have suffered a heart attack or stroke only after consulting a cardiologist or neurologist, respectively.
The role of a nurse in the prevention of heart attack is to fulfill the doctor's prescriptions regarding the patient's rehabilitation, advise the patient about the necessary preventive measures, and teach him how to control blood glucose and blood pressure. It should be remembered that even the best modern methods of treating heart attack and stroke cannot prevent the development of a second attack if the patient does not follow the recommendations of the attending physician.
Video
We offer for viewing a video on the topic of the article.
Anna Aksenova Medical journalist About the author
Education: 2004-2007 "First Kiev Medical College" specialty "Laboratory Diagnostics".
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