Doctor Iria Beltrán: “We increasingly see strokes and cognitive deterioration in younger people.”
The San Juan de Dios Hospital in León reinforces its medical staff with a neurologist who reminds us that the brain “is complex, but understanding why things happen is essential to avoid consequences.”
Dr. Iria Beltrán Rodríguez, a specialist in Neurology, has joined the medical team at the San Juan de Dios Hospital in León, where she will begin to pay attention to pathologies such as stroke, cognitive impairment, headaches, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and other common neurological disorders.
The expert emphasizes: “there is still the idea that a stroke or Alzheimer’s are diseases only associated with advanced ages, but we are increasingly seeing more cases in people aged 50 and 60 who we consider to be completely young.”
Graduated in Medicine from the University of Santiago de Compostela (2017), Dr. Beltrán specialized as a neurologist via MIR at the León University Assistance Complex (CAULE), where she currently works as an adjunct physician. She is also the author of a doctoral thesis with a Cum Laude mention on vertebrobasilar stroke – a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to the difficulty in detecting it and its high morbidity and mortality – and has developed intense research and teaching activity.
Among the main reasons for consultation that he treats are acute cerebrovascular attacks, their follow-up using neurological ultrasound and neurosonology to evaluate the state of the cerebral and cervical arteries, the study of neurodegenerative pathologies, especially Alzheimer’s, as well as the evaluation of headaches and migraines, which he describes as “much more limiting than the population usually believes.”
Beltrán, who obtained number 1 in the Public Employment Offer (OPE) of Castilla y León in 2022, considers it essential to anticipate the disease: “there are risk factors that we can modify—blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption—and others that can be monitored to detect problems in time.” Likewise, it calls not to underestimate warning signs such as “sudden dizziness, a sudden episode of instability, double vision or a very intense headache.”
Furthermore, he emphasizes that the joint role between Neurology, Primary Care and other specialties “is essential” to ensure rapid diagnoses and effective follow-ups: “when a patient has had a stroke, close monitoring by his or her family doctor, along with coordinated work with Cardiology, Endocrinology, Radiology or Rehabilitation, makes the difference.” And in dementia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis or chronic headaches, this fluid communication is “even more necessary.”
Her academic training includes a Master’s Degree in Clinical Neurology, certifications such as Expert in Neurosonology, Expert in Headaches, Expert in Biomarkers, as well as Certification in Echocardioscopy by the Spanish Association of Cardiology and the Spanish Association of Neurology.
She has participated as a researcher in multiple national and international projects on stroke, thrombosis, dementia or new anticoagulants, in addition to signing numerous high-impact scientific publications. She is the Best Resident of Castilla y León Award (2022) and coordinating tutor of Neurology at CAULE.
“I like patients to understand what is happening to them”
The specialist highlights that one of the pillars of her clinical practice is communication: “I like that patients feel listened to and understand what is happening to them, why it happened to them and what real objectives we have in the short and long term. This avoids frustration and improves their involvement in the treatment.” “Sometimes we cannot cure, but we can accompany, stop, explain and improve their quality of life,” he points out.
Regarding the future of the specialty, he considers that the “big changes will come in the field of dementia”, where the new monoclonal treatments “will transform the evolution of patients with mild cognitive impairment.”
With her incorporation, the San Juan de Dios Hospital in León expands its portfolio of neurological services with a highly qualified specialist, with experience in research and comprehensive care of pathologies that increasingly affect the population.
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Source: Diario de Valderrueda
Photography: Doctor Iria Beltrán – San Juan de Dios Hospital in León
