The World Brain Day is observed this Tuesday, July 22, and to mark the occasion, the Portuguese Directorate-General for Health (DGS) highlighted an important message on social media: “Cerebrovascular health matters.”
Emphasizing the necessity of an uninterrupted blood flow enriched with oxygen for the brain, the DGS notes, “when this circulation is compromised, diseases like Stroke or Vascular Dementia arise.”
The DGS underscores that Stroke “is the leading cause of death and disability in Portugal,” while vascular dementia “is the principal cause of dementia” in the country.
With this understanding, “prevention is the best investment.” Hence, it is crucial to be aware of the “main risk factors for cerebrovascular disease.”
These include:
- Hypertension;
- Diabetes;
- High cholesterol;
- Smoking;
- Sedentarism;
- Atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat);
- Unhealthy eating habits.
Cuidar do cérebro é cuidar da vida!
Neste Dia Mundial do #Cérebro, reforçamos o compromisso com a saúde cerebrovascular.
Conheça os principais fatores de risco para a doença vascular cerebral.Em caso de suspeita de #AVC, ligue 112. Tempo é cérebro!#DGS #SaúdePública #Saúde pic.twitter.com/fAyWVjHfRg
— DGS (@DGSaude) July 22, 2025
In cases of suspected stroke, it is crucial to “act swiftly” and recognize the warning signs. In its social media post, the DGS outlines the key indicators to watch for:
- Weakness in an arm;
- Difficulty speaking;
- Facial asymmetry.
“In case of suspected stroke,” call 112. “Time is brain! Stroke is preventable and treatable,” the message concludes.
