Acute Cerebrovascular Disease
Acute cerebrovascular disease, commonly known as stroke (including cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral thrombosis, and cerebral embolism), is a common life-threatening condition in middle-aged and elderly people. In China, it ranks second among all causes of death in urban and rural areas and is one of the three leading causes of death worldwide. The annual incidence rate is approximately 0.1–0.2%, and the annual mortality rate ranges from 0.06–1.02%. It affects all age groups with no significant gender difference; however, cerebral thrombosis is slightly more common in elderly males, while transient ischemic attacks occur about twice as often in males compared to females. Main preventive and therapeutic measures are as follows:
1) Single herbal remedies: ① Equal parts of Sanqi and Baiji, ground into fine powder, take 6–9g each time, twice daily. Suitable for hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accidents. ② Hirudo powder, 3g per dose, 3–4 times daily; or use 30g Hirudo boiled in water, one dose per day. Suitable for ischemic stroke. ③ Huoxue Fang: Chishao 15g, Honghua 9–15g, Taoren 9g, Gegen 15g, Jixueteng 30g, decocted and taken orally. Suitable for ischemic cerebrovascular accidents. ④ Maqianzi ointment: Soak Maqianzi until moist, slice thinly, place on rubber plaster, apply to the affected side of the face, replace every 5–10 days until recovery. Suitable for facial deviation and eye distortion after cerebrovascular accident.
2) Dietary therapy: ① Shan Zha 30–60g, decocted, drink the liquid and eat the pulp. Suitable for ischemic cerebrovascular disease. ② Zhu Li Zhou: Half portion each of fresh bamboo juice and millet. First cook millet into porridge, then add bamboo juice, stir well and consume. Suitable for patients recovering from cerebrovascular accident with excessive phlegm and speech difficulty. ③ Dongguazi Yin: Dongguazi 30g, add appropriate amount of brown sugar, crush, mix with boiling water and drink. Suitable for patients recovering from cerebrovascular accident with excessive phlegm and greasy tongue coating. ④ Qi Mai Yin: Equal amounts of Gouqi and Maidong, decocted and used as tea. Suitable for kidney deficiency with hemiplegia and aphasia. ⑤ Shuyu Jizihuang Zhou: Add 3 cooked chicken egg yolks to Shuyu porridge. Suitable for kidney deficiency with hemiplegia.
3) Acupuncture therapy: Body acupuncture: For closed syndrome, first puncture the Ten Xuan points to bleed, then needle Renzhong, Taichong, Fenglong, Laogong, using draining method. For locked jaw, add Jiache and Xiaguan; for limb spasm and convulsions, add Quchi and Yanglingquan. For collapse syndrome, select Guanyuan, Shenshu, Baihui, Qihai, primarily using moxibustion, with tonifying acupuncture technique. For hemiplegia, upper limbs: Jianyu, Jianliao, Quchi, Wai Guan, Hegu; lower limbs: Huantiao, Fengshi, Yanglingquan, Zusanli, Juegu, Jie Xi, Kunlun. For speech impairment: Lianquan, Yamen, Tongli, Taichong, Neiguan, Sanyinjiao; alternatively, bleed Jinjin and Yuye. For facial deviation and eye distortion: Dicang, Jiache, Hegu, Neiting, Yifeng, Chengqi, Yangbai. Except for closed and collapse syndromes, acupuncture once every 1–2 days, 7–10 sessions constitute one course.
4) Functional exercises: Not only helps patients recover early but also strengthens physical constitution, enhances resistance to illness, and prevents complications. ① Limb exercise: Begin with passive movements assisted by others in bed, such as massage or medical gymnastics. When recovery progresses, gradually move to indoor and outdoor independent exercises. During functional recovery, use the healthy side to assist the affected limbs; lower limbs generally recover faster than upper limbs. Walking should be accompanied by coordinated actions to promote upper limb function. Use effective methods for upper limb recovery, such as rolling fitness balls or walnuts to enhance finger and upper limb flexion and extension exercises. ② Speech training: Help patients practice pronunciation word by word, then counting and Chinese pinyin, followed by simple sentences, daily expressions, and basic conversations, gradually expanding language capacity. ③ Mental adjustment: Patients in the recovery phase of stroke are conscious but have hemiplegia and cannot care for themselves, bearing heavy mental burdens. Therefore, encourage them, eliminate feelings of sorrow and despair, and help restore their morale. Avoid exposing patients to negative psychological stimuli during treatment and recovery, especially anger and sadness, which directly relate to stroke onset. ④ Dietary recommendations: Keep diet light, avoid overeating, consume low-salt and low-cholesterol foods, and include lipid-lowering foods such as ginger, soy products, sour milk, mushrooms, and royal jelly in the diet. Additionally, increase intake of vitamin C-rich foods like hawthorn, oranges, fresh jujubes, tomatoes, and green leafy vegetables. Practical evidence shows that proper dietary regulation can delay and reduce the occurrence of stroke. Moreover, stroke patients should abstain from alcohol and tobacco, and maintain regular living habits.<Cerebrovascular Disease>