The Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) is a serious problem: in Brazil, it is a disease that kills more than the heart attack. According to WHO, one in six Brazilians suffers from the risk of having a lifetime stroke.
This problem occurs due to some change in blood flow in the brain. Some people may be more likely to have the problem (risk factors), such as those who deal with hypertension, smoking, diabetes, other cardiovascular diseases, among other points. Therefore, it is essential to change some habits to prevent stroke. Here are 5 points you need to keep an eye on and encourage them in your employees.
- Pay attention to the pressure control
As hypertension is one of the main risk factors, it is essential to monitor whether employees are having problems with regard to pressure control. Some ways to do this are:
- carry out awareness campaigns on high blood pressure care;
- carry out periodic examinations and record which employees have been diagnosed with the problem;
- monitor and welcome these employees more closely.
- Run anti-smoking campaigns
Smoking is a villain for health in general and, with regard to stroke risks, it is one of the major risk factors. That’s because there are substances in cigarettes that increase blood clotting, making it thicker and more prone to clot formation. In the case of women taking oral contraceptives, the risk is increased and therefore even more care is required.
Therefore, it is important to make employees aware of the risks and help those who may want to quit smoking, but find it difficult. After all, this is not an easy process and it may be interesting to have the company’s support in this.
- Watch your glucose levels
Another risk factor for stroke is increased blood glucose (and eventually the presence of diabetes). That’s because there’s an increase in blood clotting and it becomes more viscous. Thus, it is possible to decrease blood flow in the arteries and lead to a higher risk of stroke. Therefore, it is important to think about the same control mechanisms that we talk about for hypertension.
- Observe employee trends
Want to see how being aware of these issues can be important for the company? An employee who constantly leaves with complaints of migraines may suffer from side effects from the use of oral contraceptives, which increase the risk of stroke for women who suffer from migraines (especially when they are accompanied by an aura).
Therefore, it is possible to verify possible withdrawal trends and assess whether they can lead to a greater risk of the problem, helping to minimize the chances of having a stroke or other similar health problems. This may be easier to pull up through the patient’s online medical history .
- Avoid stress
One of the points that can increase the risk of a stroke in employees involves excessively stressful environments. When a person is in an environment where he suffers a lot of pressure and demands, working with ever-tight deadlines, he will be under constant tension. And that’s one of the big risk factors for this problem.
Therefore, it is important to assess how the work environment works and how it can contribute to health problems of this nature. After all, other problems such as Burnout, anxiety, depression and more are also linked to stressful work routines.
It is essential, as you have seen, to take measures to prevent stroke in the workplace. With these tips listed above, it is possible to minimize occurrences and ensure better health and quality of life for everyone. For this, always remember the importance of corporate medicine in organizations.