Maxim Yarovoy, a senior laboratory assistant at the Department of Propaedeutics of Internal Diseases No. 2 at the Institute of Clinical Medicine of Pirogov University, has challenged two widely held beliefs about stroke that he says are especially dangerous. He set out his warnings in an interview with the Russian outlet Lenta.ru.
Stroke is not just a disease of old age
Yarovoy said one of the most common myths is that stroke mainly develops in elderly people. He acknowledged that the risk of stroke does rise with age, largely because older people tend to have more coexisting cardiovascular conditions.
However, he said more than 15 percent of patients with hemorrhagic stroke are now under the age of 50, underscoring that the condition is far from an exclusively elderly problem.
Why lowering blood pressure during a stroke can backfire
The second dangerous misconception, according to Yarovoy, is the belief that lowering blood pressure during a stroke will resolve the situation. He explained that in ischemic stroke, elevated blood pressure is actually the body's own response, helping to maintain normal blood supply to the brain.
Yarovoy warned that attempting to lower blood pressure on one's own in this situation can trigger even more severe necrosis, or tissue death, in the affected organ.
Background
Pirogov University, formally known as the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, is one of Russia's leading medical schools, based in Moscow. Ischemic stroke, caused by a blocked blood vessel, and hemorrhagic stroke, caused by bleeding in the brain, are the two main types of the condition, which remains one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide.
Earlier advice on prevention
Dietitian and nutritionist Olga Kondratenko previously gave Russians five tips to help protect against heart attack and stroke during the summer months. She said the first priority is maintaining adequate hydration, recommending 40 milliliters of water per kilogram of body weight.
