HYDERABAD: Hypertension requires life-long medication, but some people tend to discontinue the course after their blood pressure readings return to normal. Instead, they opt for alternative forms of treatment that, doctors say, could lead to rupture or blockages in the blood vessels. This can ultimately result in paralysis or even death.
In the run up to World Stroke Day, observed on October 29, neurosurgeons and neurologists who attended such cases urged people not to discontinue medication as damage to brain cells is irreversible. Smokers have to be on watch as all of the specialists stated that cigarette smoking is one of the primary cause for the condition.
Apart from Hypertension, risk of stroke increases in people having diabetes, heart diseases (especially atrial fibrillation, oral contraceptive use, obesity, high blood cholesterol level, said Dr M Jayasree, consultant neurologist, KIMS Hospitals. Apart from that, use of intravenous drugs, cocaine, consumption of more than two alcohol drinks per day contribute to it.
Sudden numbness on one side of the body, difficulty in speaking or understanding, sudden onset of weakness, dizziness, are some of the symptoms of stroke. Professor and head of Neurosurgery department at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr M Vijay Saradhi said that damage to brain substance is irreversible and that prevention is best method.
“Brain is a highly specialised tissue and it cannot be multiplied. In case of hypertensive patients, they have to use medication lifelong. If a person having hypertension misses out on taking medicines, blood pressure shoots up and if the person has pre-existing aneurysms, they will burst leading to hemorrhagic stroke,” Dr Vijay Saradhi said.
Brain Aneurysms:
NIMS Neurosurgery department held a programme on ‘Brain Aneurysms’ on Saturday, where neurosurgeons spoke about what happens when an aneurysm bursts. They also talked about the kind of complications that arise out of it and what needs to be done when one suffers from the condition. When an aneurysm bursts, the person develops intense headache, termed as thunderclap headache, in span of one minute.