Silent Stroke: Silent danger in the brain

Specialist Doctor Duong Thi Hong Nhung, in charge of the Department of Neurology - Stroke, Gia An 115 Hospital (HCMC), said that silent strokes often cause small lesions in a brain area and do not have obvious external manifestations, patients often do not know they have had a stroke. Therefore, these lesions are difficult to detect without examination by brain imaging (CT-Scan, MRI).

Even so, silent strokes still damage the brain, increasing the risk of a major stroke in the future.

Đột quỵ thầm lặng - Silent Stroke: Hiểm họa âm thầm trong não bộ - Ảnh 1. — Some people with silent strokes often have signs such as mild cognitive impairment, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and a feeling of mental dullness.

What signs help recognize a silent stroke?

According to Dr. Hong Nhung, silent stroke has 3 basic manifestations: White matter damage caused by blood vessels, silent cerebral infarction or microscopic cerebral hemorrhage.

It is called a “silent stroke” because it occurs in a “silent” area of the brain, does not cause obvious changes in motor function, does not cause paralysis, slurred speech, pain or sensory disturbances. However, silent stroke affects the area of the brain that controls thinking, emotions and perception, and is the leading cause of vascular cognitive impairment.

Some people may experience indirect or vague signs, such as:

Mild cognitive impairment: Difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, feeling less clear-headed.
Mood changes: Irritability, mild depression, unexplained emotional fluctuations.
Mild difficulty in motor coordination: Writing, poor flexibility in holding objects.

These signs are often overlooked or mistaken for age, stress or other health problems. Therefore, the damage is often only detected when taking an MRI or CT scan of the brain, usually when the patient goes for a routine health check-up.

Who is at high risk for silent stroke?

Silent strokes do not cause acute symptoms like regular strokes, but are still dangerous because brain damage accumulates over time, increasing the risk of subsequent strokes, cognitive decline, memory loss or dementia.

“The disease is at high risk of occurring in people with underlying diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, the elderly, especially those over 60; people with sleep apnea syndrome or unhealthy living habits such as smoking, a high-fat diet, lack of exercise or being overweight,” said Dr. Hong Nhung.

How should people who have had a silent stroke be treated or monitored?

According to Dr. Hong Nhung, because silent strokes do not have obvious acute symptoms, treatment focuses on preventing progressive brain damage, reducing the risk of future actual strokes, and controlling risk factors such as blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar.

In addition, patients also need to pay attention to changing their lifestyle:

Quit smoking, limit alcohol.
Diet low in salt, high in green vegetables, fish, olive oil.
Exercise regularly.
Maintain ideal weight.
Control stress and get enough sleep.

For early detection and prevention, doctors advise everyone - especially high-risk groups - to have regular check-ups, treat underlying diseases and control risk factors well. People with chronic diseases need to comply with treatment and regular monitoring to detect early damage, reduce the risk of stroke and cognitive decline.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dot-quy-tham-lang-silent-stroke-hiem-hoa-am-tham-trong-nao-bo-185251103215514602.htm