Cerebral embolism


Which department should I go to for a cerebral embolism?
Patients with cerebral embolism need to visit the department of neurology, as it is considered a critical condition in this field. The onset of the disease is sudden and progresses rapidly. Often, in a very short period of time, the condition escalates to a peak, causing the patient to fall into a coma or suffer from complete paralysis of one side of the body. The most common cause of cerebral embolism, and the most frequent source of emboli, is atrial fibrillation, where clots form on the inner walls of the heart; these clots can detach and, carried by the bloodstream, block cerebral vessels. Another common source of emboli is carotid artery plaques, especially soft plaques which are prone to detachment. Once detached, these plaques form emboli that can obstruct major brain vessels, leading to cerebral embolism. Following cerebral embolism, usually larger blood vessels are blocked, causing abrupt blockages in cerebral circulation, and leading to issues with brain blood supply. Generally, this results in extensive brain ischemia, cerebral edema, and brain tissue necrosis. The condition progresses rapidly and requires prompt medical attention and comprehensive hospital treatment.


Can people with cerebral embolism run?
Patients with cerebral embolism are mostly caused by heart diseases, especially atrial fibrillation, which is the most common complication leading to cerebral embolism. If it is the acute phase of cerebral embolism, the patient's condition is unstable and symptoms may worsen, so running is definitely not suitable at this time. If the recovery from cerebral embolism is already very good, the patient's condition is stable, and there are no significant heart function issues, then the patient may engage in running exercises under the assessment of neurologists and cardiologists. Running can help to strengthen the physique, improve blood circulation, and also aid in the recovery from cerebral embolism, but it is important to ensure that the exercise intensity is not too high, to avoid putting too much strain on the heart.


Does cerebral embolism require surgery?
Most cases of cerebral embolism in patients are caused by heart diseases, especially in patients with atrial fibrillation. Thrombi form in the atrium, detach, and travel to the cerebral arteries, causing a cerebral embolism. If the area affected by the cerebral embolism is small and the symptoms are mild, surgical treatment may not be necessary. Patients should rest, engage in rehabilitation exercises, and be treated with medications that invigorate the blood, remove blood stasis, protect brain cells, and use anticoagulants. However, if the embolism affects a large area, such as the middle cerebral artery, interventional surgical thrombectomy can be performed according to current medical advancements, which may be effective for some patients but also carries risks of bleeding and potential surgical failure. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor and do not self-medicate.)


Clinical symptoms of cerebral embolism
Patients with cerebral embolism typically exhibit a sudden onset and rapid progression of the condition, often occurring during physical activity and rapidly reaching its peak. Clinically, this can result in immediate and complete paralysis of one side of the body or total aphasia, and in some cases, it can also lead to a swift onset of coma. Additionally, these patients often experience accompanying conditions such as arrhythmias, carotid artery plaque formation, and arteriosclerosis. The common sources of emboli in cerebral embolism are thrombi attached to the heart wall or plaques formed in the carotid artery. Therefore, these patients often have a history of hyperlipidemia, arteriosclerosis, plaque formation in arteries, atrial fibrillation, or coronary artery disease.


Auxiliary examinations for cerebral embolism
Patients with cerebral embolism need to undergo a cranial MRI to observe the location of the embolism, the area of brain tissue necrosis, and the age of the lesion, which is helpful in assessing the severity of the disease and prognosis. Additionally, it is necessary to examine the cervical vasculature with Doppler ultrasound to check for the presence of carotid artery plaques, especially soft plaques which are prone to detachment and can form emboli, blocking cerebral vessels and potentially causing recurrence or exacerbation of cerebral embolism. Furthermore, an echocardiogram of the heart is required because another common source of emboli in cerebral embolism is mural thrombi in the heart, particularly in patients with arrhythmias or atrial fibrillation, who are more prone to form mural thrombi. Therefore, patients with cerebral embolism need to have an echocardiogram to check for the presence of mural thrombi. If present, anticoagulant medication is required for treatment. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician.)


How to treat cerebral embolism?
Brain embolism generally blocks relatively larger cerebral blood vessels and often leads to extensive death of brain cells. Therefore, patients with brain embolism are primarily treated with medications that promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis to improve circulation. Additionally, patients with brain embolism often experience an increase in intracranial pressure, so it is necessary to use medications that reduce intracranial pressure and alleviate brain cell edema. Patients with brain embolism might experience disturbances in consciousness and are prone to develop aspiration pneumonia or dependent pneumonia, so anti-infection medications may be utilized for treatment. Some may also suffer from stress-related gastrointestinal ulcers, or even gastrointestinal ulcer bleeding, thus requiring medications that inhibit gastric acid secretion and protect the gastric mucosa. Other treatments target the cause of the condition. A common cause is the detachment of carotid artery plaques, therefore, medications that prevent arteriosclerosis and stabilize plaques are also used. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)


Initial symptoms of cerebral embolism
The initial characteristics of cerebral embolism generally include a sudden onset and rapid progression of the condition. It often occurs during physical activity, with the condition reaching a peak in a very short time. Typically, within a short period, this can lead to complete paralysis of limbs on one side, complete loss of speech in some cases, and severe cases may quickly progress into a coma. The development of the condition is quite rapid. Common sources of emboli in cerebral embolism include mural thrombi from the heart and detached plaques from the carotid artery. Carotid artery plaques, especially soft plaques, are prone to detachment, forming emboli that block the cerebral vessels and cause cerebral embolism. Additionally, patients with arrhythmias or atrial fibrillation can easily form mural thrombi on the inner walls of the heart. Once a thrombus detaches, it can block cerebral vessels, leading to cerebral embolism. The affected area in cerebral embolism is relatively large, and the condition is quite severe.


What department should I go to for a cerebral embolism?
Brain embolism is a disease in the field of neurology, and one can consult a department of neurology for it. Patients with brain embolism often have a rapid onset, generally with a history of atrial fibrillation. Some thrombi attached to the heart dislodge into the cerebral arteries, causing brain embolism. Symptoms can rapidly develop, including limb paralysis and speech disorders. If the affected area in the brain is large, it may even lead to consciousness disorders and epileptic seizures. For the treatment of brain embolism, interventional thrombectomy can be performed, but there is a strict limitation on the timing window. It should be noted that patients with brain embolism have a high probability of transforming into cerebral hemorrhage, and caution must be exercised during treatment.


Can people with cerebral embolism run?
Patients with cerebral embolism can jog moderately, but walking is highly recommended. This is because the common source of the embolus in cerebral embolism patients is a mural thrombus in the heart. The common causes of mural thrombus formation include arrhythmia and atrial fibrillation. Therefore, patients with cerebral embolism, who may also have coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, or cardiac mural thrombus, are not well-suited for running, which is a relatively intense form of exercise. They can jog moderately, but the distance and duration should not be too long. The most recommended form of exercise is walking. Walking is the best form of exercise to prevent worsening the condition after running, and it could also exacerbate coronary artery disease conditions.


Can people with cerebral embolism eat lamb?
Patients with cerebral embolism can appropriately eat some mutton, but not too much, as the main dietary approach is a low-salt diet. Additionally, foods high in fat should not be consumed excessively, because a common cause of cerebral embolism is the hardening of blood vessels in the neck, carotid artery plaques, especially when soft plaques break off and form emboli that block cerebral vessels through the bloodstream. Thus, consuming these high-fat foods excessively can exacerbate hyperlipidemia, worsen arterial sclerosis, and increase arterial plaque, potentially leading to the recurrence and aggravation of cerebral embolism. Therefore, patients with cerebral embolism can appropriately consume some mutton, as its fat content is not too high, but it should not be consumed in excess. Eating it in moderation is acceptable.