Resumo de Stroke - Neurology

"Few population-based studies with long-term follow-up have
compared
risk of recurrent stroke and cardiac events after first
ischemic
stroke," Dr. M. S. V. Elkind and colleagues from Columbia
University,
New York, write. "The relative risk of these two outcomes
may inform
treatment decisions."

The researchers followed 655 ischemic stroke patients
enrolled in the
population-based Northern Manhattan Study for recurrent
stroke, heart
attack and death. Ischemic stroke, the most common type,
occurs when
oxygen to the brain is blocked, usually by a blood clot,
causing "ischemia," or tissue death. Hemorrhagic strokes are
caused
by bleeding in the brain, usually from a ruptured blood
vessel.

The team defined fatal cardiac events as: death from a heart
attack,
death from congestive heart failure, sudden death caused by
erratic
contractions of the heart (arrhythmia), and cardiopulmonary
arrest.
The average patient age was 69.7 years.

After five years, the risk of recurrent stroke was more than
twice
the risk of having a cardiac event (18.3 versus 8.6 percent
),
Elkind's team reports. The risk of having a non-fatal stroke
was 14.8
percent, about twice as high as having a fatal cardiac event
(6.4
percent) and four times higher than the risk of having a
fatal stroke
(3.7 percent).

The researchers also found that the five-year risk of having
a fatal
cardiac event was 6.4 percent compared with 3.7 percent for
having a
fatal stroke.

SOURCE: Neurology, March 2006.

The discussion on arrhythmia and stroke brought in the
memory of a
patient of this author. In ayurveda, there are emergency
medicines
which can be taken in case of a stroke, mild heart attack,
or severe
brady or tachy-cardia. Contact your nearest ayurvedist, and
keep a
stock of such emergency medication at hand, just a few
tablets.

One patient of this author, after severe chest congestion,
chest
pressure and pain, could borrow a tablet from his neighbour
for an
emergency. He found quick relief and slept for 4 hours
pieacefully.
Due to non-availability of this in neighbourhood chemist
shop, and
refusal of the neighbour to give another tablet 5 hours
later, the
patient landed up in hospital and survived only 6 more hours
in
hospital. Someone may argue that doctor cant extend life
granted by
destiny. But the neighbour was abandoned as patient by this
author
thereafter.
Post stroke precautions

All diagnostic tests are instantaneous static pictures of
organs. What
about the mind, which is the driver of the body? How
chemical medicines
can take care of mental toxins producing harmful chemicals
in body? Has
anybody been helped by anti-depressants so far?

That is where yoga, ayurveda etc come to help you. No need
to be
nervous. Strokes are boons in disguise, which turn us from
materialism
to spiritualism, in search of true happiness.

When the subject of stroke was being taught in an
alternative medicine
class, a mischievous student asked the professor.
"Sir, what happens if stroke victim keeps his heart in safe
deposit
vault of another heart?"

"He will not get second stroke nor arrhythmia, as both
hearts will beat
in perfect harmony" quipped the professor.

breathing techniques of yoga are very popular in india, and
are being
taught on TV. many cardiac patients are learning and
bringing down the
risk of second stroke to zero. The techniques have received
full
attention after mainstream doctors at premier institution of
india,
AIIMS, Delhi started studying them scientifically and
endorsed them as
perfect medicines for peace, sound sleep etc. This changed
attitude may
be the result of the event that India's most skilled
cardiologist and
heart surgeon (from Mumbai) could not prevent his untimely
stroke last
year and passed away in a matter of hours. Did he not know
stress of
working 18 hours a day? This is glaring difference between
just body
and mind+body approach. West is researching the body as a
organism,
while east is emphasizing mind and spirit as the focus.

The post was incoplete. Remaining part will be covered in
discussion
on breathing principles day after tomorrow in Iron rules
of health
series.

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