Treatment of stroke should begin within 4.5 hours of the symptoms to be effective.
While worldwide, those aged 60 years and above are at risk for stroke, in India, the risk of getting a stroke starts earlier at 50 and above. As much as genetic factors playing a role, so do lifestyle and the inability to control risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, high alcohol intake and smoking, said a team from the Global Health City hospital of Chennai at a recent press meet in Puducherry.
Bhaskar Reddy, Vice President, Corporate Relations, said that stroke is the second largest cause for death, and the fourth largest cause for disability worldwide.
“It is estimated to affect one in six people worldwide in their lifetime, and that 5 million people die of stroke every year. In India, about 40 per cent of the youth population is at a higher risk of stroke owing to lifestyle factors. We are seeing alarming statistics, but not enough of research,” he said.
Dr. Halprashanth, Consultant Neurologist at the hospital said stroke is neglected because of low awareness. Stroke is the interruption of blood flow to the brain because of a clot or a burst in blood vessel, he said.
Identifying stroke
There are four identifying factors in stroke as stated by the World Stroke Organization, abbreviated as FAST. F stands for Face, where it is found to be drooping. A stands for Arms, where there is weakness or numbness of arms or legs. S stands for Speech, where difficulty in speech is experienced. T stands for Time, which indicates that medical attention must be sought immediately.
Timely treatment
The patient must not be administered anything orally, and must be made to be in a lateral position. If the patient gets seizures, then he should be given a wooden piece to bite so no bleeding occurs due to him biting the tongue, said Dr. Halprashanth.
In treatment, the intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) drug is administered to remove the clot in the blood vessel. Time is of utmost importance for effective treatment of stroke, said Dr. Joy Varghese, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon and Neuro Intervention Specialist, who spoke about advances in neuro intervention procedure, called Mechanical Thrombectomy. The procedure uses a catheter inserted through the groin area. “IVT therapy followed by neuro intervention procedure doubles the chances of stroke reversal. The patient also becomes non-dependent.”
The cost at the hospital to undergo the intervention procedure is around Rs 3 lakh. The doctors said that without the treatment, patients would spend around Rs 8 lakh per year, while also remaining dependent. The team claimed the hospital had a success rate (where patients returned to normal life and were non-dependent) of 73 per cent.
