Smoking for 30 years, discovered dangerous cardiovascular disease

Recently, Mr. NVĐ (63 years old, Hanoi ) had a dull headache, although not accompanied by dizziness, nausea or weakness in the limbs, so he went to MEDLATEC Thanh Xuan General Clinic for examination.

X-ray of the patient's injury.

Through examination and in-depth testing, he was found to have severe carotid artery stenosis due to atherosclerosis, one of the leading causes of stroke.

Mr. D. has a history of smoking for nearly 30 years, smoking 18-20 packs per month. This is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.

Although his family had no history of cardiovascular disease and he had never had any signs of a suspected stroke before, his blood pressure was 140/85 mmHg and his blood test revealed a lipid disorder with increased bad cholesterol (LDL-C) and decreased good cholesterol (HDL-C).

Ultrasound and CT angiography results showed that Mr. D. had a severe 90% stenosis of the right internal carotid artery due to mixed atherosclerotic plaque, accompanied by a small dissection of the left internal carotid artery with a small aneurysm. Atherosclerotic plaque also spread to many other vascular segments such as the subclavian artery and cavernous sinus. CT angiography of the coronary arteries showed mild calcification of atherosclerosis, causing 30-40% stenosis of the coronary artery branches.

In addition, the CT scan also detected other lesions such as ground glass opacities in the lungs, atherosclerosis of the aortic arch, calcified liver and cysts in the right kidney. From there, the doctor diagnosed Mr. D. with atherosclerotic carotid artery disease with severe stenosis, chronic coronary artery disease and dyslipidemia.

According to Dr. Tran Hai Nam, Cardiology specialist at MEDLATEC Thanh Xuan, severe carotid artery stenosis is the main cause of stroke because it reduces blood flow to the brain, causing blockage and permanent brain damage. Regular carotid artery screening is the key to preventing this dangerous disease.

Atherosclerotic carotid artery disease is a narrowing or blockage of the carotid arteries due to fatty plaques, common in older adults, especially those with risk factors such as smoking, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure.

Statistics show that 33% of cases of carotid artery stenosis from 80-99% can lead to transient cerebral ischemia or stroke if not detected promptly.

Early warning signs of stroke to watch out for include weakness or numbness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, temporary loss of vision in one eye, loss of balance or an unusually severe headache. These symptoms may be fleeting but are a “warning bell” of the risk of stroke in the near future.

The case of Mr. D., who has been smoking for nearly 30 years, shows the silent and serious effects of smoking on the cerebrovascular system and cardiovascular system. Even when the symptoms are still very mild and unclear, the risk of stroke is still very high if not detected and treated promptly.

To prevent stroke, people should quit smoking, control blood pressure, maintain stable blood lipid and blood sugar levels, eat healthily, exercise regularly and have regular health check-ups. In particular, people over 40 years old, long-term smokers, those with high blood pressure, lipid disorders, diabetes, obesity or a family history of cardiovascular disease should be screened for stroke early.

Necessary screening tests include blood lipid tests, carotid Doppler ultrasound to detect carotid artery stenosis, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and CT/MRI of the brain and cerebrovascular system to comprehensively assess risk.

Carotid Doppler ultrasound is a simple, non-invasive and cost-effective method that is very effective in detecting early atherosclerosis and stenosis of the carotid artery. Screening combined with other techniques helps doctors accurately assess cardiovascular and neurological conditions, thereby providing timely treatment measures, minimizing the risk of serious complications.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/hut-thuoc-la-30-nam-phat-hien-benh-ly-tim-mach-nguy-hiem-d402438.html