Neurological conditions are one of the most common causes of deaths. Addressing this problem begins with identifying risk factors for these conditions. Hypertension and diabetes are the main comorbidities, aggravated by alcohol consumption, smoking and being overweight. Understanding the risk factors allows the medical professionals to assess the patient’s health in time and start looking for the treatment opportunities, increasing the chances of avoiding severe consequences.
Risk Factors for Cerebrovascular Accidents
Cardiovascular incidents result in high mortality of patients, and it is necessary to predict their manifestations. Hypertension is one of the main risk factors, because degradation of the blood vessels is a symptom of this condition, which can subsequently lead to an attack (Flora & Nayak, 2019). Diabetes is a serious aggravating disease that affects the state of the vessels, which can also cause the development of cardiovascular incidents. People who are overweight are at risk because they have higher chances to develop diabetes and hypertension. High cholesterol levels can cause blood vessels to clog, which can lead to brain damage (Yu, 2021). Smoking and alcohol consumption fall into the group of factors that can lead to cardiovascular disorders by weakening the walls of blood vessels. Elderly people are at particular risk, as they are more likely to develop the conditions described above.
Cultures at Higher Risk
The risks of developing cardiovascular incidents can vary in different cultures. African Americans and Hispanics are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular events than the white population (Maraboto & Ferdinand, 2020). American Indians are also more likely to have strokes than the population average (Harrington et al., 2020). Most of these statistics are associated with the unavailability of medical care or lack of awareness of the symptoms and causes of life-threatening conditions.
The 0 to 4+ Scale for Scoring Deep Tendon Reflexes
Deep reflexes are involuntary muscle contractions, happening as a response to a stimulus, which are usually assessed using the tapping method. Hyporeflexia indicates a decrease in response to tapping and signals a violation of the reflex arc (Rodriguez-Beato & De Jesus, 2020). Hyperreflexia is a repetitive reflex that may indicate a lesion above the level of the spinal reflex arcs (Rodriguez-Beato & De Jesus, 2020). Conditionally, reflexes are scored on a five-point scale, where 0 represents no response and 4 shows a repetitive reflex (Rodriguez-Beato & De Jesus, 2020). States 1,2,3 can be considered normal, while the absence of a response or its repetitive nature is always abnormal.
Symptoms of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy produces symptoms that are not always characteristically recognizable. Numbness or decreased sensitivity is the first signal of peripheral neuropathy (Motiwala, 2021). The reverse reaction may result in tingling or burning, accompanied by acute pain. A characteristic problem may be hypersensitivity, in which case the patient may experience pain even from clothing (Motiwala, 2021). Clear signs of diabetic neuropathy are problems with the feet, including noticeable damages to bones and joints.
Sharing Experience
A case that demonstrated the importance of measuring sugar occurred with a man who came to the clinic with uncharacteristic complaints. He was worried about chronic fatigue and muscle weakness, which significantly interfered with his daily routine. In a conversation with a doctor, the man briefly mentioned the difficulty in falling asleep due to the constant cold and numbness of the feet. The medical professional’s assumption about the relationship between the man’s symptoms and the sharp decreases and increases in sugar levels turned out to be correct. The man was diagnosed with diabetes and received timely therapy.
Conclusion
Neurological conditions share similar risk factors, which often include hypertension, overweight, diabetes, and an unhealthy lifestyle. When making a diagnosis, the presence of risk factors must first be taken into account. It is important to remember that the elderly and members of ethnic minorities are at particularly high risk of developing neurological accidents. Timely detection of neurological disorders leads to an increased chance of a positive outcome of the treatment.
References
Flora, G. D., & Nayak, M. K. (2019). A brief review of cardiovascular diseases, associated risk factors and current treatment regimes. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 25(38), 4063-4084. Web.
Harrington, R. A., Califf, R. M., Balamurugan, A., Brown, N., Benjamin, R. M., Braund, W. E., & Joynt Maddox, K. E. (2020). Call to action: rural health: A presidential advisory from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Circulation, 141(10), 615-644. Web.
Maraboto, C., & Ferdinand, K. C. (2020). Update on hypertension in African-Americans. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 63(1), 33-39. Web.
Motiwala, R. (2021). A clinical approach to disease of peripheral nerve. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 37(2), 197-208. Web.
Rodriguez-Beato, F. Y., & De Jesus, O. (2020). Physiology, Deep Tendon Reflexes. StatPearls Publishing.
Yu, H. (2021). Mind Thief. Columbia University Press.