A stroke, or cerebral infarction, can really take a person's life in an instant. And, what you may not know is that the number of cerebral infarction patients in China is growing at an alarming rate.
So, what is the reason for this? Is it because, as some people say, it is because we are deficient in folic acid?
1. The number of cerebral infarction patients in China has surged
According to the survey data of The Lancet, the total number of new cerebral infarction patients in the world every year is 13.7 million, while the number of new cerebral infarction patients in China is as high as 5.51 million, accounting for 40% of the total number of people in the world.
What is even more shocking is that the number of deaths due to cerebral infarction in China is as high as 2 million every year. This number can be said to be staggering. The number of cerebral infarction patients in China can definitely be said to be the largest in the world.
So, why are there so many cerebral infarction patients in China? Is it true, as some people say, that it is because we lack folic acid?
2. The association between folic acid and cerebral infarction
Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin that plays a very important role in our body. For example, it helps our body make new cells and it can also help our body prevent DNA from being duplicated by mistake. However, you may not know that folic acid also has a very important function, that is, it can reduce the incidence of cerebral infarction.
In a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, scientists found that while obesity rates in the United States are increasing year by year, stroke rates are declining.
And this situation is probably because the United States has mandated folic acid supplementation for the masses in the past 10 years. This shows that folic acid can indeed reduce the incidence of cerebral infarction.
However, this does not mean that folic acid supplementation alone can completely prevent cerebral infarction. Folic acid is not effective in reducing the risk of cerebral infarction in all patients with hypertension, and its protective effect is mainly reflected in those patients with high homocysteine (Hcy) levels.
This is because protein metabolism in the human body produces homocysteine, whereas under normal circumstances, homocysteine continues to metabolize to produce other bioactive substances that provide energy for the body.
However, when nutrients such as folic acid are insufficient, the conversion of homocysteine into biologically active substances is blocked, leading to an increase in homocysteine concentrations, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease such as stroke.
Conversely, adequate folic acid supplementation can ensure normal metabolism of homocysteine, thereby reducing the risk of cerebral infarction in hypertensive patients due to high homocysteine levels.
Therefore, we can say that folic acid can indeed reduce the incidence of cerebral infarction to a certain extent, but it cannot completely prevent the occurrence of cerebral infarction.
3. Early warning signs of cerebral infarction and their importance
It is often said that "illness comes from the mouth", but in fact, illness will knock on the door in advance. Cerebral infarction is like this, it gives warning signs before it happens. According to a study in the Chinese Medical Journal, the appearance of a mini-stroke, if left untreated, has a 40% chance of having a stroke within 3 months. It's like a trailer that foreshadows a possible impending disaster.
So, what are the warning signs of cerebral infarction? Here, we would like to remind everyone to pay attention to four possible early warning signs of cerebral infarction. The first is numbness in the fingers, which can be the result of a lack of blood supply or compression of the nerves.
This is followed by sudden vertigo, which can be a sign of insufficient blood supply to the brain. Then there is the constant yawning, which may be a sign of a lack of oxygen to the brain.
Finally, there is unstable blood pressure, which can be a sign of increased burden on the heart. If you notice these warning signs, you should seek medical attention immediately and take precautions.
4. The relationship between food and cerebral infarction
The food we eat has a direct impact on our health. Eating too much of some foods may increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Here, we would like to remind everyone that there are three foods to eat as little as possible.
The first is animal offal. Although animal offal is rich in protein and vitamins, due to its high cholesterol and saturated fat content, frequent consumption may lead to increased blood lipids, which in turn increases the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
The second is pickles. During the pickling process of pickles, a large amount of nitrite is usually produced. This compound is able to damage the walls of blood vessels, leading to hardening of the arteries and increased resistance to blood flow, thus increasing the risk of cerebral infarction.
The third type is fried food. Fried foods contain trans fatty acids and lipid peroxide, which promote an increase in LDL cholesterol in the blood, thereby increasing the risk of heart and cerebrovascular disease.
Therefore, to stay healthy, we should reduce the consumption of these foods as much as possible and instead eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids, such as fish and nuts.
In addition, regular health check-ups, keeping track of one's own health status, and adjusting one's diet in a timely manner can help prevent the occurrence of cerebral infarction.
5. Four steps of first aid for cerebral infarction
After we understand the warning signs and risk factors of cerebral infarction, we also need to know something about cerebral infarction first aid. Because, when cerebral infarction occurs, time is of the essence.
According to the American Heart Association, 1.9 million brain cells are lost in people with cerebral infarction every 1 minute that passes. Therefore, we must act quickly to reduce the harm of cerebral infarction to patients.
Here, we will introduce the four steps of cerebral infarction first aid. The first step is to confirm the symptoms. If you find that you or someone else has warning signs of cerebral infarction, such as sudden headache, crooked face, weakness of the arm, slurred speech, etc., you should immediately think that it may be a cerebral infarction.
The second step is to call the emergency number immediately. In China, we can dial 120. During the call, describe the patient's symptoms and the time of onset in as much detail as possible so that the medical staff can make accurate judgments.
In the third step, the patient is placed on a flat stomach with the head slightly elevated. This reduces blood flow to the brain, lowers intracranial pressure, and reduces symptoms.
Fourth, try to keep the patient quiet and avoid strenuous activities. Strenuous activity may cause blood pressure to rise, worsening the symptoms of cerebral infarction.
summary
Cerebral infarction, a seemingly distant disease, is actually all around us. Each of us can be a potential victim of cerebral infarction. Therefore, we must have enough understanding of cerebral infarction, know its warning signs, understand its risk factors, and master its first aid methods.
At the same time, we should also remind the people around us to pay attention to their own health, improve their living habits, eat reasonably, do regular physical examinations, and supplement folic acid in time to prevent the occurrence of cerebral infarction.