Recognising, acting quickly on symptoms of stroke can save lives

When Ramesh, a 34-year-old auto driver, felt a strange sensation in his arms and face, he immediately alerted his wife. He had read about a condition called stroke and its symptoms and he also knew that he had to rush to the hospital immediately for treatment. Not losing time, he was taken to a hospital within 45 minutes, where he was attended by stroke specialists and the timely treatment helped him get back on his feet soon. While awareness helped Ramesh, there are others who miss the window period of four-and-a-half hours largely due to lack of awareness. Stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or burst (ischemic or haemorrhagic, respectively).

Some of the telling symptoms of stroke are speech changes in the form of slurred speech, drooping of the face, weakness in the arm, etc. But, a majority of them are unaware or overlook the symptoms, says Dr Sathish Kumar V, senior consultant neurologist-stroke specialist, Fortis Malar Hospital, adding that just one in 20 cases of stroke gets treatment on time. He explains, “Someone who recognises the symptoms must rush the person to the nearby stroke centre. Outcome is better in the shortest span. In case of a stroke, after the blood flow is affected, millions of nerve cells die in the matter of minutes. After crossing the window period, reversal is minimal and it leaves the person disabled and ageing is accelerated.”

While stroke has been most prevalent among the elderly, today even those below the age of 40 years have become targets. Dr Sathish adds that India and Japan have a huge population of the young at risk to due to a combination of factors - environmental and lifestyle. As much as 20 per cent of stroke cases occur in the age group below 40 years, according to Dr Rithesh R Nair, interventional neurologist, SIMS Hospital He says, “Those with a family history of stroke must be aware of the risk. We have Doppler tests that can predict strokes.” Dr U Meenakshisundaram, senior consultant, Neurology, Apollo Main Hospital, points out that after menopause, women are at equal risk like men. “Stroke that occurs among women after childbirth was once upon a time, very common among women in the rural areas. But today, though prevalent, the incidence has relatively reduced,” he adds.

Doctors emphasise that awareness can help diagnose stroke at the right time. Act FAST an awareness campaign that has been globally gaining momentum can work in India as well, points out Dr Nair. He says, “Putting a public service advertisement on public transport can take the message far and wide.” There are stroke centres across the city, while the MMC has also established a stroke unit. Dr Sathish says, “Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) dissolves the blood clot, but this is administered through stringent protocols. This is the standard treatment across the world and can help patients get back to normal life, given they seek treatment on time.” Dr Meenakshisundaram adds that since lifestyle factors are also a major trigger, modifying them is equally imperative.