Stroke, commonly known as cerebral stroke, has a rapid onset and can cause lifelong regret in mild cases and loss of life in severe cases. Stroke has become the first cause of death in China and is feared like a wolf or a tiger. So what should stroke patients know? What should be done after a stroke? 1.What is stroke? Stroke is a disease caused by blood circulation in the brain, which can be divided into two categories: hemorrhagic stroke, which is caused by the sudden rupture of blood vessels in the brain, including cerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage, and can cause severe headache, frequent vomiting, paralysis and even coma. Ischemic stroke is caused by blockage of blood vessels, including cerebral infarction, cerebral thrombosis, cerebral embolism, etc. The symptoms are generally mild, and most patients are conscious and show symptoms such as hemiplegia or weakness, speech difficulty, numbness of limbs, dizziness, and blurred vision. 2, early manifestations of stroke The brain controls the functions of consciousness, thinking, movement, and sensation. When a stroke occurs, these functions are damaged. So how can you tell if you have had a stroke? Family members can tell by using a simple nine-word phrase: smile, raise your hand, and walk. Smile: Early stroke patients may find the problem by smiling. Patients may have facial asymmetry and crooked mouth and eyes. Raise your hands: Patients cannot raise their upper limbs, and they will not last 10 seconds before they fall down. Walk: Patients have difficulty walking because of numbness and weakness of the limbs. 3, the stroke patient’s medical strategy After a stroke, the principles of medical care are eight words: early medical care, specialist consultation. Early medical care: When early signs of stroke are detected, go to the hospital at the first opportunity. Even at night, you should see an emergency doctor and not delay until the next day. If a patient with a cerebral infarction is treated with thrombolysis or embolization within the time window, it is possible to restore the oxygen and blood supply before the brain cells are completely infarcted, thus restoring full or partial function. This is currently the only proven treatment option. Specialized treatment: After a stroke, you should choose a hospital that is equipped to provide early diagnosis, early vascular assessment, and early treatment by a specialized neurologist. Most tertiary hospitals and some secondary hospitals in Shanghai are currently able to provide thrombolysis and intravascular thrombolysis. Patients and their families should communicate with emergency physicians and ask them to send the patient to a hospital with emergency care to avoid missing out on emergency care. 4, prevention methods for stroke patients Stroke can be prevented, mainly six basic principles: control three bad lifestyles, including smoking, do not like exercise, like greasy food; control three disease factors, including high blood pressure, high blood fat, high blood sugar. If you have a stroke or a high-risk group, in addition to control your mouth and legs, you need to add antiplatelet drugs, and if you do these well, you can reduce the occurrence of stroke by about 80%. Of course, if patients have atrial fibrillation, they should add anticoagulant drugs (such as warfarin or new anticoagulants). 5.Post-stroke patients should pay attention to “one person has a stroke, the whole family is paralyzed”. In addition to physical disability, post-stroke patients often suffer from complications such as cognitive decline and post-stroke depression, which further affect the quality of life of patients. About 2/3 of patients suffer from post-stroke cognitive impairment, mainly in terms of not being able to remember what just happened, not being able to find their way home, having a strange personality, etc. It is important to go to the hospital for systematic treatment to relieve symptoms and stop the deterioration of the disease. About 40% of patients will have mood disorders after stroke, including anxiety and depression. In addition to rehabilitation treatment to improve the patient’s mobility, antidepressant and anxiety medication should be added to treat different symptoms.