Winter is a peak season for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Some first-aid methods for sudden stroke, such as pricking fingers or ears to release blood, or taking Angong Niuhuang Wan or aspirin while waiting for emergency help, have been circulating online. Are these unverified first-aid methods scientifically reliable? What else can be done while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive?

Bloodletting therapy may affect subsequent treatment

Stroke, commonly known as cerebral apoplexy, is divided into hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke, according to Miao Zhongrong, chief physician at Beijing Tiantan Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University. The former is caused by ruptured blood vessels leading to cerebral hemorrhage, while the latter is due to blocked cerebral blood vessels, also known as cerebral infarction.

Miao Zhongrong explained that for ischemic stroke, treatment time is critical. Currently, there are two important methods for treating ischemic stroke: intravenous thrombolysis and arterial thrombectomy. Pricking fingers or ears to release blood is known as bloodletting therapy, but the active bleeding caused by pricking the fingers of stroke patients may affect subsequent treatment. Previously, there was a patient who suddenly experienced limb weakness and speech problems and was promptly taken to the hospital, falling within the time window for intravenous thrombolysis. Just as the doctors were preparing to administer intravenous thrombolysis, they discovered that the patient’s fingers were still bleeding after being pricked with sewing needles. This open bleeding is a contraindication for intravenous thrombolysis, so the method of using thrombolytic drugs to open blood vessels could not be applied, ultimately resulting in a poor prognosis.

Miao Zhongrong reminds everyone that after a stroke occurs, bloodletting therapy should not be used. Instead, patients should seek standardized hospital treatment as early as possible.

Aspirin for first aid depends on the situation

Many people keep life-saving medications like aspirin at home. Miao Zhongrong noted that if someone at home experiences a sudden medical emergency and is suspected of having a stroke, it is unsafe to casually administer such medications. Moreover, many stroke patients may not be fully conscious, and self-administering medication can lead to a series of issues such as suffocation.

Furthermore, not all strokes are suitable for aspirin as a first-aid measure. For ischemic stroke caused by blocked blood vessels, medications like aspirin may be appropriate. However, for cerebral hemorrhage caused by ruptured blood vessels, such medications can exacerbate the bleeding.

Miao Zhongrong emphasized that some symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction are similar. Without standardized and formal CT scan examinations, even experienced doctors may not be able to make a definitive diagnosis. Therefore, without distinguishing between cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction, patients should not self-administer medication at home.

Correct first aid for stroke

First aid for stroke patients should not be carried out blindly. Without a clear diagnosis, neither pricking fingers to release blood nor taking aspirin is advisable.

Finally, Miao Zhongrong provided three key points for correctly responding to a sudden stroke: First, call for emergency help. Second, have the patient lie flat with their head tilted to one side to prevent suffocation caused by vomiting due to impaired consciousness. Third, do not feed the patient or administer any medication. (Liaoxin News Agency)