High blood pressure and smoking increase the risk of stroke
The most dangerous disease in female menopause is stroke. Life is at risk, and many patients suffer from after-effects such as paralysis of the body and impaired speech, which also cause pain to their families. Recently, the rate of cerebral infarction where blood vessels are blocked has increased compared to cerebral haemorrhage where blood vessels leading to the brain burst. Similar to the West, it accounts for 70-80% of strokes. Let’s check what is essential to prevent vascular disease.
◆ Brain tissue… Once you fall into necrosis from a stroke, recovery is not easy.
When a stroke occurs, the degree of difference is different, but the after-effects remain. The primary way to solve the burden of such a stroke is to prevent the disease itself. Stroke risk factors such as high blood pressure and smoking are known, but there are not a few people who cannot control them. Uncontrollable risk factors such as age and genetics are inevitable, but controllable risk factors must be managed. This can reduce your risk of having a stroke.
◆ Less estrogen + increase in high blood pressure… Menopausal women, double pain
During female menopause, estrogen (a female hormone), which protected blood vessels when young, gradually disappears, causing blood vessels to lose their elasticity. Hypertension increases, and the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease increases. If you repeat wrong lifestyle habits such as eating salty food and lack of exercise at this time, the possibility of being exposed to the risk of stroke increases. High blood pressure has no symptoms, so you may not know it’s progressing to heart disease or stroke. Blood pressure should be controlled from time to time to prevent worsening of the disease.
◆ Hypertension, the highest prevalence risk factor
Weight loss, a low-fat, low-salt diet, exercise and smoking cessation are recommended for the prevention and treatment of hypertension. If necessary, medication can also be used to lower blood pressure. As recommended by the Korean Stroke Association, the goal of blood pressure control for primary stroke prevention is to maintain the target of less than 140/90 mmHg in the general population and less than 130/80 mmHg in patients with diabetes and renal disease.
◆ Smoking, an important independent risk factor for cerebral infarction
Smoking has an acute effect of creating blood clots in narrowed arteries and a chronic effect of causing atherosclerosis where blood vessels harden. Smoking is an important independent risk factor for cerebral infarction in all ages and sexes. Compared to non-smokers, smokers are twice as likely to have a stroke. Second-hand smoke should also be avoided. Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer, which often occurs in middle-aged and older people, but also cancers such as stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, and bladder cancer.
◆ Hyperlipidemia, diabetes… Beware of increased cholesterol
Diabetes is also a major modifiable risk factor. Diabetes is associated with 15-33% of patients with cerebral infarction and is known to be an important predictor of stroke recurrence. Hyperlipidemia and dyslipidemia are also major risk factors. In particular, the risk of stroke in women is associated with an increase in total blood cholesterol and low density cholesterol (LDL). Eating a balanced diet, including moderate amounts of meat, and plenty of fruit and vegetables can help.
