Cerebral venous thrombosis is more common in women

This condition can be cured in 80% of the patients, says IMA

New Delhi, 08 August 2017: Cerebral (brain) venous thrombosis is an uncommon disorder and going by available statistics, it occurs in 1 per lakh of population. About 5% of those who suffer from this condition die of acute illness and 10% die over time. This condition is also more common in women than men. As per the IMA, complete recovery is possible in about 80% of the patients, and the rate of recurrence is about 2% to 4%.

Cerebral venous thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in the brain’s venous sinuses. This prevents blood from draining out of the brain. This leads to breaking of blood cells and blood leaking into the brain tissues, forming a hemorrhage. The onset can be acute, subacute, or chronic. The mean age of onset of this condition in adults is 39 years.

Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal, National President Indian Medical Association (IMA) and President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Dr RN Tandon – Honorary Secretary General IMA in a joint statement, said, “Thrombosis of cerebral veins or dural sinus leads to increased venous and capillary pressure, which in turn leads to brain swelling, venous hemorrhage, and/or ischemia with cytotoxic edema. Occlusion of dural sinus causes decreased brain cerebrospinal fluid absorption and elevated brain pressure. Although it is possible to cure majority of those diagnosed with this condition, a certain percentage may die, the reason for which is brain herniation. One of the most common symptoms in which occurs in about 25% of the cases is headache.”

Some of the risk factors of this condition are hypercoagulable states, oral contraceptives, pregnancy, cancer, infection, and head injury.Symptoms may include focal neurologic deficits, focal or generalized fits, altered mental status, stupor, or coma.

Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, said, “For diagnosis, doctors take a medical history and a physical examination. Description of the symptoms may help to a certain extent, particularly if the person who has had a stroke is unconscious. The final diagnosis is done basis how the blood is flowing in the brain. This is done through imaging tests that show areas of blood flow. Some such tests include MRI and CT scan, Venography, Angiography, Ultrasound, and Blood tests.

There are few things that people can do to prevent this condition from occurring.

• Consume a healthy diet It is good to follow a diet that is low in fat. Include a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in your meal plan.
• Get enough physical activity Exercising for about 30 minutes every day is not only beneficial in preventing this condition but also in keeping the body healthy overall.
• Quit smoking Smoking increases the chances of cancer, which is one of the risk factors for cerebral venous thrombosis.
• Keep chronic conditions under control It is important to keep conditions like diabetes under control by regulating daily lifestyle. This will help keep associated risks at bay.