The disappearance of Mircea Lucescu, one of the greatest coaches in the history of football, brings to light the danger of diseases that act silently but devastatingly. Ischemic stroke and pulmonary thromboembolism are diseases that can strike suddenly and which, unfortunately, are increasingly affecting younger people.
Mircea Lucescu, the third most titled football coach in the world, passed away on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the ATI ward of the Bucharest University Hospital. According to the representatives of the medical unit, where the coach was hospitalized since March 29, during the CT investigation carried out on Tuesday, “multiple signs of cerebrovascular ischemic accidents” and “outbreaks of pulmonary thromboembolism” were identified.
Cerebral ischemic strokes and pulmonary thromboembolism are two increasingly common pathologies. If many years ago such complications mainly appeared in old age, today doctors report an alarming decrease in the age of affected patients.
What is ischemic stroke
Ischemic stroke (stroke) occurs when an artery carrying blood to the brain is blocked by a clot. Without oxygen, nerve cells begin to die quickly, sometimes within minutes. It is the most common type of stroke, with statistics indicating that approximately 80–85% of all strokes are ischemic. The patient’s evolution depends on the extent of the vascular event, but also on the speed of the intervention.
“(Ischemic strokes – ed.) represent the largest part of cerebral vascular accidents, hemorrhagic accidents ranking at only 10–15%. They are determined by heart conditions that produce cerebral emboli, cerebral thromboemboli, valvular heart diseases – with and without permanent fibrillation. There are also ischemic accidents caused by atheroma plaques that are found on the walls of cerebral vessels”explained primary neurologist Renića Diaconescu, for “Adevărul”.
Ischemic strokes caused by heart disease and those caused by atheroma plaques began to have a similar prevalence, says the doctor. Many elderly patients do not treat their permanent atrial fibrillation, and the consequence can be cerebral thromboembolism.
What are the risk factors for ischemic stroke
The first risk factor mentioned by Dr. Renića Diaconescu is stress, but the list is much more extensive. “Stress, dyslipidemia, heart disease, smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, diabetes…Each risk factor needs to be evaluated and treated separately. If you have dyslipidemia, you need to treat it; if you have diabetes, you need to treat it. Sometimes these conditions are managed together, in context”explained the doctor.
are you dizzy What you should know about vertigo
Signs that may herald a stroke, called in medical parlance “prodromal signs” – that is, early, often vague symptoms – include: dizziness, numbness (paraesthesia) in the limbs or face, language disorders (patients can no longer say certain words or say them with difficulty), headaches (headache), balance disorders, tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
However, the signs of a stroke are much more obvious and require emergency medical intervention: weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, facial asymmetry, speech difficulties.
Although the pathology frequently appears after 55–60 years, doctors draw attention to the fact that more and more affected patients are under 50 years of age.
What is pulmonary thromboembolism
Pulmonary thromboembolism (PE), also called pulmonary embolism, occurs when a blood clot reaches the lungs and blocks a pulmonary artery. It also represents a major medical emergency with the risk of rapid death.
“In lung diseases, clots leave peripheral areas. In immobilized patients, they mostly come from the lower limbs. They can also appear after surgical interventions, which is why, postoperatively, anticoagulants are administered for a period of time, precisely to prevent these emboli”. Dr. Diaconescu explained.
People with varicose veins are also prone to pulmonary thromboembolism.
For high-risk patients, investigations such as angiography or peripheral Doppler ultrasound are recommended to identify possible thrombi, the doctor indicates.
“Pulmonary thromboembolism has a sudden onset, with a drop in blood pressure, acute respiratory failure, and sometimes a comatose state. It is initially difficult to differentiate from cardiac shock. The diagnosis is established by pulmonary tomography and tests such as D-dimers,” the doctor also explained.
The danger of pulmonary thromboembolism no longer occurs only in the elderly, but also in young people, especially in the context of prolonged immobilization.
“It is important that the patient is mobilized as quickly as possible and not remain immobilized in bed for long periods”, emphasizes the doctor.
What the two conditions have in common and how they can be prevented
Although they affect different organs, ischemic stroke and pulmonary thromboembolism have a common cause: the formation and migration of blood clots. In stroke, the clot blocks an artery in the brain, in PE, the clot blocks an artery in the lungs, and patients with cardiovascular disease are at increased risk for both pathologies.
The risk of these conditions can be reduced by: adopting a healthy lifestyle (balanced diet, exercise, quitting smoking); control of chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases); increased attention to temporary factors (surgery, immobilization, long trips).
