“Hope from the development of increasingly precise drugs even on complications”
“For ischemic stroke we have the ability to reopen the occluded vessel with drugs or interventional neurology procedures and save life, the brain from irreversible damage”. In addition, “we are developing drugs that can manage bleeding conditions or the complications of bleeding and ischemia, such as edema, which is an enlargement of the affected area of the brain. Biochemical knowledge gives us great hope to develop ever more precise drugs to treat these conditions”. Thus Mauro Silvestrini, Neurology Clinic, Marche University Hospitalon ‘Stroke disease of the brain, it is essential to contact specialized centers’eighth episode of the monthly column ‘Protect your brain, trust your neurologist‘, a project born from the collaboration between the Italian Society of Neurology (Sin) and Adnkronos with the aim of increasing knowledge of neurological pathologies and the figure of the neurologist, but also, and above all, sensitizing the population to rely on the care of this specialist when the first symptoms appear (VIDEO).
Stroke is a brain disease caused by two conditions: sudden occlusion of an arterial vesselwhich causes ischemia, or breakage of the same, which causes hemorrhage. In any case, a part of the brain suffers and if it is not treated immediately it can suffer irreversible damage”. This condition “can manifest itself in various ways – adds Silvestrini – but the most frequent are: sudden loss of strength of an arm or a leg; loss of sensitivity; difficulty speaking or understanding what is being said; sudden loss of vision in an area of the visual field or a sudden headache. In the presence of these symptoms – recommends the specialist – it is necessary to call the emergency services and be transported to a hospital equipped with a stroke unit”.
There are over 185,000 people in Italy, especially the elderly, affected by stroke every year, a pathology perceived by the population more as a circulatory problem than a neurological one. “The brain – recalls Silvestrini – is the most delicate, precise and perfect organ we have. The consequences can lead to problems that only a neurologist can manage adequately”. Stroke can be treated. “The problem with treatment in the acute phase – observes the expert – is that, in a condition of circulatory suffering, the brain’s resistance to damage is limited to a very short time. The fundamental concept is the early recognition of the symptoms, the a center capable of treating stroke and the timely initiation of procedures that we have available today”.
The disease can be prevented. “An adequate lifestyle is essential from a young age – underlines the neurologist – Hypertension, diabetes, obesity, increased blood fat, cigarette smoking and drug consumption are all frisk actors that can be managed with an appropriate lifestyle. Even if some rare forms of stroke, especially if juvenile, may have a hereditary basis – concludes Silvestrini – the predisposition is mediated by the main risk factors – diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia – which also recognize a familial hereditary predisposition”.
Source-www.adnkronos.com