Stroke patients in India are younger than their western counterparts, with a quarter being under the age of 50. Neurologists in the city are seeing a rise in the number of young patients being diagnosed with stroke.
A stroke is the sudden onset of neurological deficit due to vascular causes. According to the World Stroke Organization, the incidence of stroke is one in four persons. While there is no Indian data on stroke, the median age of people getting affected by stroke here has witnessed a steady decline.
This is mainly owing to sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle and the consumption of processed food. Alcohol and smoking are also contributing, said Vikram Huded, head of Neurology at Narayana Health. He was speaking to The Hindu on Tuesday, on the occasion of World Stroke Day.
A study conducted by St. John’s Medical College in 2014 on 11,000 stroke patients across the country corroborated this trend.
G.T. Subhas, former president of Bangalore Stroke Support Group (BSSG) and former director of Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, said the common symptoms of stroke can be remembered as FAST (facial drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulties, and time to reach a stroke-ready hospital).
“People should not ignore warning signs such as dizziness, sudden weakness in the limbs and difficulty in speaking or understanding words. “Patients should reach a hospital within three or four hours of the stroke. The earlier the patient is rushed to a hospital, the better the outcome,” he said.
Neurological disorders being the most complex among all health problems, Dr. Subhas said people should exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, keep their sugars, blood pressure and cholesterol under control, and most importantly quit smoking and drinking alcohol.
Amit Kulkarni, secretary of BSSG and consultant neurologist and stroke specialist at Sagar hospitals, said that quick identification and prompt treatment at the nearest “stroke-ready hospital” can significantly reduce the risk of death and serious disability due to stroke. “Hence, the general public should be made aware of which is their nearest stroke-ready hospital,” he said.
