Symptoms of microstroke in older women

Patients of different genders and ages will have different symptoms and consequences of the disease. For example, signs of stroke in older women may be nonspecific (unlike symptoms in men). That is why it is important to monitor your own condition and the condition of loved ones at risk more carefully.

Patterns of development of the pre-stroke state

Primary signs of a pre-stroke condition in elderly women may be nonspecific. May appear:

• frequent headaches;
• nausea;
• malfunction of the sense organs.

Similar symptoms can appear with the progression of many diseases, including hypertensive crisis, a drop in sugar levels, and others.

However, despite the nonspecificity of the symptoms, it is still possible to recognize a pre-stroke condition. There are several factors that allow you to determine pathology at an early stage:

1. The pre-stroke state was preceded by a long period. It is clear that transient ischemia cannot develop suddenly over a few days or hours. There is always an initial stage from which signs are taken into account. This stage usually takes 14-21 days, but in some patients it can last longer.
2. The general condition worsens. In women, pre-stroke is much more severe than in men and often ends in necrosis.
3. The manifestations are more pronounced. This factor is directly related to the previous one.
4. The likelihood of an emergency occurring is much higher. Most often it is characterized by tissue death.

Types of disease

There are quite a large number of types of stroke. The classification of the disease includes division according to the provoking causes, the mechanism of progression, and the characteristics and size of the lesion.

Usually the following types are distinguished:

• ischemic;
• extensive;
• hemorrhagic;
• lacunar;
• microstroke;
• spinal;
• repeated;
• spicy.

Ischemic stroke is considered the most common. The cause of the pathology may be a disruption in the transport of nutrients and oxygen to brain cells (usually due to narrowing of vascular channels).

Hemorrhagic stroke is a consequence of rupture of the vascular channels of the brain, as a result of which blood fills the cavities. This type entails the appearance of edema and hematoma.

A major stroke is any massive lesion. Typically, such a lesion has more severe symptoms and often leads to death or long-term disability of the patient.

Classification by severity

Based on the severity of clinical manifestations and the severity of brain damage, stroke can be divided into the following subtypes:

• transient ischemic attacks;
• micro-stroke (usually formed against the background of third-party chronic pathologies - hypertension or thrombosis, lasts from 2 to 21 days);
• moderate severity (recovery from such a lesion takes several months, swelling of the brain structures and dysfunction of consciousness do not appear);
• extensive (the most severe subtype of all, since it is formed in the beds of large vascular canals, the symptoms are the most pronounced and can lead to paralysis or death of the patient).

Cause of development and risk groups

Stroke is one of the most serious diseases that occurs in the blood vessels of the brain. It leads to a serious disruption of blood circulation in any part of the circulatory network.

Since most of the functions of the human body are controlled by the nervous system, and it is, accordingly, controlled by the brain, any pathological processes and disturbances in its work will lead to failure of the motor processes of the limbs, paralysis or even death. Patients lose their speech, develop serious problems with memory and vision, and lose sensitivity and balance.

The risk group includes people suffering from the following disorders:

• hypertension;
• diabetes;
• obesity;
• elevated cholesterol levels;
• arrhythmia;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• hemophilia.

Women most often experience stroke after 60 years of age. Patients with factors that can provoke a stroke need to be especially careful. These include:

• regular severe stress;
• physical exhaustion or fatigue;
• blood pressure surges;
• changes in atmospheric pressure (if the patient is weather dependent);
• heavy alcohol intoxication;
• overheat;
• hypothermia.

Causes of stroke in women

On the eve of a stroke, a woman may develop vegetative-vascular dysfunction, manifested by the following symptoms:

• prolonged attacks of sharp or dull pain in the chest;
• unexplained anxiety;
• redness of the face, bulging veins in the temple area;
• variability of blood pressure;
• rapid heartbeat more than 120 beats per minute;
• acute abdominal pain;
• disruption of the digestive tract (diarrhea followed by constipation);
• sweating;
• sudden loss of strength;
• feeling of weakness in the limbs.

Such reasons may be precursors of a stroke. Doctors at the Yusupov Hospital are wary of such symptoms of the disease. In young women, a comprehensive examination is carried out to rule out a stroke. Particular attention is paid to the presence of nausea and headache, decreased or increased blood pressure, and slow heartbeat.

Transient cerebrovascular accident in women develops rapidly. With mild to moderate ischemia, brain nutrition can quickly be restored without causing death of nerve cells. The boundary between transient cerebral ischemia and the period when the first symptoms of a stroke are observed is very fragile. Doctors at the Yusupov Hospital immediately begin basic therapy for patients admitted to the neurology clinic with transient cerebrovascular accidents.

The following symptoms may indicate transient cerebrovascular accidents in women:

• tremor of the limbs;
• the appearance of awkward unnatural movements;
• loss of sensation in legs and arms;
• speech function disorder;
• blurred vision;
• lack of coordination;
• transient amnesia (the patient experiences short-term memory loss, she ceases to navigate in space);
• fainting, loss of balance;
• unilateral paresis.

Women should remember that if specialized care is not provided in a timely manner, a stroke develops in 80% of cases. Effective comprehensive treatment of stroke is carried out by neurologists at the Yusupov Hospital.

Expert opinion

Author: Olga Vladimirovna Boyko

Neurologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences

Doctors consider stroke one of the most dangerous and common neurological pathologies. Acute cerebrovascular accident is registered in every third person per 1000 population. Stroke is a cause of permanent disability. The disease can occur in people of any age. In women, cerebrovascular accidents often appear between the ages of 18 and 65. Various factors can trigger a stroke. Unlike men, representatives of the fairer sex are subject to more pronounced hormonal changes. Hormone imbalance is one of the predisposing conditions.

At the Yusupov Hospital, experienced neurologists select an individual course of treatment for each patient. This takes into account the type of stroke, the patient’s age and concomitant diseases. Timely and correct therapy is an important component of quick recovery. Stroke is dangerous due to its complications. More than 60% of patients become disabled. Doctors at the Yusupov Hospital are developing a personal treatment and rehabilitation plan to minimize the risk of complications. The therapy is complemented by methods of physiotherapy and exercise therapy. This approach can reduce the length of hospital stay and speed up recovery.

Main symptoms

The following symptoms are typical for women:

• severe headaches (characteristic of migraines);
• decreased intensity of facial expression activity;
• failure of nerve conduction in the facial muscles;
• disturbance of speech and motor activity of the limb on one side;
• visual impairment;
• dysfunction of the vestibular apparatus;
• gag reflex and uncontrollable muscle contractions;
• self-perception disorder;
• sagging corner of the mouth;
• feeling of mental unsettlement.

Signs of stroke in women

In women, the following early signs of stroke occur:

• acute headache of varying frequency;
• lethargy, loss of strength, dizziness;
• noise in the head and ears;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• confusion of speech;
• numbness of half the body and face.

When patients are admitted to the Yusupov Hospital, doctors often identify the following symptoms of stroke:

• shortness of breath, breathing problems;
• loss of orientation in the surrounding space and time;
• sudden drop in vision;
• acceleration of heart rate more than 130 beats per minute;
• short-term memory loss.

In order to promptly suspect a stroke, when the first signs of the disease appear, a woman should pay attention to whether there is swelling or asymmetry of the face, whether she can hold her arms parallel to the floor for 10-20 seconds, and raise both legs in turn. You can check the sensitivity with a sharp pencil, speak the text into the microphone and, by listening, determine whether the speech is intelligible.

Comprehensive stroke treatment

First of all, doctors need to stop the hemorrhage, relieve swelling, and carry out prophylaxis immediately after the patient’s admission to the hospital, which will prevent a recurrence of the attack. Next, the patient will receive symptomatic treatment based on the individual clinical picture.

Typically, the therapeutic regimen is developed in an interdisciplinary meeting. The commission includes a therapist, cardiologist, pharmacologist and some other specialized specialists. This helps minimize the risk of complications or adverse reactions from the use of certain medications.

The body’s functionality is supported through the following procedures:

• IVL (artificial pulmonary ventilation);
• cleaning the oral cavity from vomit and mucus;
• breathing exercises;
• maintaining blood pressure at the required level;
• droppers that help thin the blood and restore salt balance;
• treatment with anticoagulants;
• if swallowing ability is lost, feeding through a tube.

The success of therapy will depend on the quality of medical care provided and the condition of the patient’s body. Rehabilitation will also play a major role, but it begins only after the 3rd week of continuous treatment of an attack.

How to recognize a stroke yourself?

After a stroke, every minute counts. The hemorrhage site increases in size. And after 3-6 hours, the brain tissue dies, and a focus of necrosis forms. Doctors have to deal with the consequences of pathology.

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At home, you can use 3 recognition techniques, which are designated by the abbreviation UZP. The patient is asked:

1. U - Smile.
   Some patients cannot do this at all because the corners of the lips are directed downward. For others, the smile may be crooked.
2. Z - Speak.
   Sometimes victims cannot even speak a simple sentence. But this symptom is not typical for all types of the disease.
3. P - Raise your arms up.
   The upper limbs rise unevenly.

You can also ask the patient to stick out his tongue and close his eyes. A tongue that is crooked and sticks to one side is also a sign of poor circulation. Thanks to this technique, more than 90% of strokes were confirmed.

If a patient has at least one of 3 points not normal, then the probability of a stroke is 72%, if 3 - more than 85%.

During the examination, specialists ask the patient to lie on his back and raise both arms up or legs alternately. Again, the fact that the patient cannot keep her arms parallel to each other or raise them at all signals a brain disorder. You can find similar signs in yourself.

Reception of recognition IMPACT

Another way to recognize pathology is called IMPACT:

1. U - Smile:
   skewed;
2. D - Movement:
   it is impossible to symmetrically raise the limbs;
3. A - Articulation:
   impossible to pronounce words clearly;
4. R - Decision:
   it’s time to take it if signs are detected and seek medical help.

Understanding from the signs that a person has apoplexy, it is pointless to provide him with first aid. Mistakes lead to fatal consequences. You need to call an ambulance as soon as possible and be sure to warn about the identified symptoms.

What to do while the ambulance is on the way?

A stroke can happen to anyone at any time. Therefore, you need to know the following algorithm of actions:

• put the victim on a bed with high pillows;
• provide oxygen flow;
• remove tight clothing that is constricting your chest;
• measure blood pressure;
• tilt the patient's head to the side if vomiting occurs.

All that remains is to wait for the ambulance.

Consequences of stroke for elderly patients

The older the patient is at the time of admission to the hospital, the more severe the pathology will be and the lower the chances of recovery. The following may reduce the likelihood of full recovery after a stroke:

1. It is not always possible to dissolve blood clots in blood vessels with medications in elderly patients. Pensioners usually have a large number of contraindications to the insertion of catheters and surgical intervention, so the risk of death increases.
2. The younger age of the patient guarantees the restoration of lost functions thanks to an alternative blood supply. Age-related changes in vascular channels (including atherosclerosis) significantly reduce the likelihood of complete recovery in elderly patients.
3. Age often goes hand in hand with a variety of third-party chronic diseases. They usually affect the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, heart muscle, respiratory organs, etc. And since a stroke is a huge stress for the body, the progression of all existing chronic pathologies is inevitable. This significantly influences medical prognoses.
4. Stroke goes hand in hand with infectious complications. Since one of the consequences of a stroke is paralysis, due to which the patient is forced to constantly lie motionless in bed, the formation of bedsores and congestion is inevitable. Large areas affected by purulent lesions are the best way for infections to enter the body.

Stroke is especially dangerous for older women, because the likelihood of a second attack following the first is extremely high. Usually the consequence of such an illness is loss of consciousness or coma. So you should be especially careful about your health in retirement age, because full recovery of the body after a stroke is almost impossible in the presence of third-party chronic pathologies or predisposition.