Stroke is a serious disease that affects a large part of society and remains one of the leading causes of death and disability in Bulgaria.

The most serious risk factors that lead to a stroke are::

– Nonmodifiable risk factors: old age, gender, previous vascular accident, family burden.

– Modifiable risk factors can be controlled by the patient and the doctor, and many of them can be avoided.

They are atherosclerosis, hypertensive disease, diabetes mellitus, heart rhythm – conduction disorders, carotid stenoses, dyslipidemia, smoking, intake of large amounts of alcohol, intake of drugs, treatment with high doses of estrogens, acute infections, surgical interventions, obesity, migraine with aura , malignant diseases, depression, reduced physical activity, etc.

To protect against stroke, try to keep your blood pressure within acceptable limits, reduce your salt intake, avoid foods high in saturated fat, eat fruits, vegetables, fish and low-fat dairy products. Treat diabetes and atrial fibrillation. The risk of stroke in these diseases is high. Do sports 5 times a week for 30 minutes, walk often, if possible choose the stairs instead of the elevator. Lose weight if you are overweight. Stop smoking, limit mental stress, reduce alcohol intake to one glass per day, preferably red wine.

It is very important to recognize the symptoms of a stroke as quickly as possible and to seek immediate medical help. Thus, the risk of complications and disability will be reduced.

If you experience the following symptoms, seek emergency care immediately: weakness on one side of the body, drooping of the corner of the mouth (uneven smile) and numbness of the face. When trying to lift the arms, one arm is weak and does not lift or is numb. Slurred speech, visual disturbances, severe headache, dizziness, loss of balance and coordination resulting in difficulty walking. In case of these symptoms, immediately seek medical help in a hospital!

The Bulgarian Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics (BSNCH) pays serious attention to the problems related to stroke and annually organizes a congress with scientists from all over the world to fight against cerebrovascular accidents.