In daily life, many elderly people will find that their brains will not be as clear as they used to be as they get older, but people often don’t care too much about this phenomenon I thought that because I got older and older, I would naturally be a little confused, nothing special. Sometimes we also find that our parents or elderly relatives and friends around us used to have a good memory and responded very quickly. The speed of finding change for buying vegetables and things was even faster than that of small traders, but unconsciously, our memory became more and more No, I like to forget things, I can’t count, I have no energy, I like to doze off.
In fact, many times, the reason for this confusion is not simply being confused by age, but It is caused by the narrowing of the carotid arteries and insufficient blood supply to the brain.
I have seen such a patient once. The old man is 70 years old this year. He usually loves life and has a cheerful personality and loves to chat. , I like to grow flowers, play chess, and especially like to cook. If I have nothing to do, I will cook three or four dishes carefully at home and drink some wine with my wife. Every weekend when the children come back, I have to show their talents and prepare a table of good dishes. But in the past six months, when the old man is cooking, he often forgets what to do next, or can’t remember whether the seasoning that needs to be put in has just been let go, and the reaction is slow when playing chess. I feel down easily, I don’t like to chat anymore, I just like to doze off when I have nothing to do by myself. The old man feels that there is no big deal, but he is getting old.
But my wife was very anxious to see the changes in the past six months, and insisted on taking the old man to the hospital for examination. After the ultrasound of the carotid artery and cerebral blood vessels, the reason why the old man became “confused” finally came to light. It turned out to be a severe stenosis of the carotid artery.
I had carotid artery surgery for the old man, and the narrowed carotid artery was restored. After the operation, the old man felt his mind became clear. A lot. I used to have a big pot lid on my head, but now my head has become more relaxed. The old man was very excited. The first thing he did when he got home was to cook a meal for his wife. The problem of forgetting the steps in cooking was gone. The cooking process was done in one go, and the taste was very good. The wife watched the old man excitedly while eating. shed tears.
Through this old man’s illness and treatment, I would like to tell the vast number of elderly friends that after the popularization of medical knowledge over the years , Many elderly people already know that carotid artery stenosis or dangerous plaque in the neck increases the risk of cerebral infarction, but in addition, carotid artery stenosis can also bring a very serious problem, which will seriously affect the patient’s quality of life , treatment delays can even lead to dementia. This problem is due to the narrowing of arteriosclerotic blood vessels, insufficient blood supply to the brain, and the “confusion” that occurs, and this situation is particularly easy to be ignored by everyone.
The current incidence of cognitive dysfunction in the elderly in China Increasing year by year, many elderly people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. About one-fifth of patients with cognitive problems are caused by cerebral ischemia, with severe carotid artery stenosis or occlusion being the main cause.
The brain itself will have a natural phenomenon of functional decline with aging, but if the elderly experience the following cognitive decline in a short period of time, they need to be vigilant: Not because of carotid stenosis. Including obvious decline in memory within half a year, poor computing power, continuous feeling of lack of sleep, and sudden inability to complete previously mastered skills. When these problems occur, you need to think about seeing a vascular surgeon or a neurologist, and do a carotid artery ultrasound to confirm condition of blood vessels.
If there is obvious stenosis of the carotid artery, we will choose the appropriate one according to each patient’s own physical condition and disease characteristics. Comprehensive treatment options, including surgical endarterectomy, minimally invasive stent implantation, or standard drug therapy.
This article was written by:< /span>
Dr. Guo Jianming, Department of Vascular Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University
Source of this article:
Third-A Fax Official Account< /span>