Recognizing the Symptoms ⁤of a Cerebrovascular Attack (CVA)

Facial‍ paralysis, blurred vision, sudden weakness in the arms or legs, slurred speech, and loss of balance are the most common symptoms of a⁣ cerebrovascular⁤ attack (CVA).

A cerebrovascular attack (CVA) is the second leading cause of death worldwide. This disease occurs when blood flow to the ⁣brain is interrupted, mainly caused by a blockage of blood in the neck or brain (ischemic stroke), or by a rupture ‍of a blood vessel in the brain, causing bleeding (hemorrhagic stroke).

According to Juan Carlos Tovar, medical director of Boehringer Ingelheim Colombia, “Any person can suffer a cerebrovascular attack, commonly known as a stroke or thrombosis. The important thing is that people recognize the⁢ symptoms of the disease quickly,‍ because if they experience any of them, they have four and a half hours to get specialist medical attention, otherwise they will⁤ die or be left with lifelong disability. Every second that passes, about 32,000⁢ neurons die.”

Recognizing the Symptoms with the CORRE+ Acronym

The Colombian Society of Neurology has associated the most frequent symptoms of this​ disease with the acronym ⁤CORRE+, so that people remember it ⁤more easily:

• C (Face): facial paralysis.
• O‌ (Eye): blurred vision.
• R: sudden numbness in the legs or arms.
• R: strange when speaking.
• E⁢ (+): loss of Balance / call Emergency if you ⁣have any of the symptoms mentioned.

Anyone‌ suffering from any of ⁢these symptoms should call 123 immediately or go to⁤ a medium or high complexity medical institution for prompt treatment.

For several years now, notable efforts have been made to raise awareness of stroke throughout the region through the Act​ with Speed ​​campaign, ⁤which has ⁢enabled people to understand in more detail what the pathology is about, recognize the alarm signs and know which ​medical institutions are ready to care for patients efficiently.

It is key to remember that 15 million ‍people suffer from a stroke in the world⁣ every year, of which 6.5 million die and 5 million are left with a permanent disability. In the case⁤ of Colombia, ‍16 thousand people die every year from this disease.

“Every 40 seconds someone ⁢has a stroke. ⁤We must not forget that there are risk factors that increase the possibility of⁣ having a stroke, such as high ⁤blood pressure, being overweight, type II diabetes, poor eating habits, smoking, air pollution, high cholesterol, kidney​ dysfunction, alcoholism and lack of physical activity” emphasized Juan Carlos Tovar, medical director of ‌Boehringer Ingelheim Colombia.