With winters around, the drop in temperature can have unanticipated effects on your health, particularly your heart, and this can increase the risk of stroke. Stroke is the second leading cause of mortality and claims about 60 lakh lives every year globally, according to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
As per a Lancet Study, nearly 7 lakh stroke-related deaths occurred in India in 2019 – accounting for 7.4% of the total deaths in the country that year.
A stroke happens when there is a sudden loss of brain cells or death of brain cells because of blood plaque as a result of a blockage in the artery.
“Once a patient has suffered a stroke, it is also likely that they might have recurrent strokes. Thus, it is important to take necessary precautions to counter stroke incidences,”
what are the main causes of the stoke?
A stroke happens when blood flow to your brain is stopped. It is an emergency situation. It can be caused by a narrowed blood vessel, bleeding, or a clot that blocks blood flow.
How cold weather cause stoke?
In cold weather, the body’s blood vessels can constrict and become smaller, increasing the vessels’ blood pressure, a major risk factor for a stroke. Additionally, the cold can cause blood to thicken. This leads to the blood to become stickier, increasing the likelihood of a clot to form.
What reduces the risk of stoke?
The best way to help prevent a stroke is to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking and drinking too much alcohol. These lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of problems like: arteries becoming clogged with fatty substances (atherosclerosis) high blood pressure.
Help regulate body temperature by staying inside – with air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter.
Precautions:
Weight loss, if you are overweight and limiting the amount of alcohol consumption to safe limits is useful.
Quitting tobacco in all forms whether oral tobacco, cigarette, or bidi is also usefu
Cutting down on your salt intake on the recommendation of your doctor to 5g per day or one teaspoon per day helps in stroke prevention
Certain medications which help to keep your blood sugar as close to normal is also very helpful in the prevention of stroke
