It happened one night last year, when K. Prabha and her husband were having dinner. “We were eating and talking, when my husband asked me a question. I tried to answer him but I just could not. Concerned, he gave me some water, but I could not even hold the glass. I wanted to pray but I could not remember a thing,” she said.
Though she did not know it then, the retired Central government employee was having a stroke. In a little while, she felt better and decided to go in for a check-up the next day. “But then I called my son, and he insisted I go in to a hospital right away. I’m so thankful I did that,” said the 64-year-old pensioner. World Stroke Day was observed on Thursday.
There is a good chance that Mrs. Prabha’s life was saved because she was admitted within three hours of her stroke, points out D.S. Halprashanth, head of the comprehensive stroke centre at Global Hospitals. Women, who make up about 45 per cent of all cases of stroke, often tend to come in very late due to their symptoms not being taken very seriously by themselves or their families, he said. Seeking treatment immediately at a hospital that can treat strokes is imperative: the longer the delay, the more chances of death and major disability, doctors say. Four-and-a-half-hours is the general window period for a stroke.
“In Chennai, of the 1,500 new cases of stroke every month, less than 50 patients will get access to acute care. This has to change,” explains Dr. Halprashanth.
In addition to the general risk factors of family history, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, smoking and excessive drinking, women are more at risk if they experience pregnancy-related diabetes and hypertension, depression, or if they use some birth control pills or if they are on hormone replacement therapy when they are menopausal, says Prithika Chary, chief neurologist at Kauvery Hospital.
“Women over the age of 50 should get a yearly stroke-risk check-up done. For younger women too, if any of these risk factors is present, an annual check-up is recommended,” she said, adding that as more women were in care-giving roles, help was often not sought immediately even if they did have symptoms.
At Fortis Malar Hospital, at least 50 of the 100 cases of stroke seen every year are women, said Dinesh Nayak, head of the neurology department. “Women of various age groups are at risk: 10 per cent are young adults below the age of 40,” he said. Dr. Nayak added that some traditional customs such as not giving a woman water right after she’s delivered a baby or giving her high fat foods then could also potentially promote clotting, increasing the risk of a stroke. “Staying hydrated after giving birth is very important,” he said.
The message, doctors say, is stay aware, do not ignore any symptom and if there is one, get help immediately.
