BENGALURU: Brain attack, commonly called stroke has now become the leading cause of neuro-disability and the third leading cause of death worldwide. Stroke occurs when your brain experiences either loss or reduced supply of blood, starving brain tissue of oxygen and food. Due to reduced blood flow, the brain cells begin to die resulting in a stroke, which is a medical emergency requiring prompt treatment.
Brain attack generally encompasses four major types of neurological critical emergencies.
1. Cerebral Ischemia (stroke)
2. Cerebral haemorrhage (brain haemorrhage)
3. Subarachnoid haemorrhage (aneurism)
4. Cerebral venous thrombosis (venous stroke)
In all of these situations, 10-15 per cent of the patients can die either at the onset or due to complications and the remaining can have significant disability if left untreated. In the recent years, the incidence of brain attack is steadily increasing accounting to 180-220 cases per every 1 lakh population. One of the most worrying fact when it comes to stroke is that, more and more younger patients are now being diagnosed with stroke and this age group, below 40 years, forms a specialised category called the ‘Stroke in young’.
The major risk factors for brain attack is similar to that of heart attack. Increase in smoking, drug abuse, alcoholism- particularly binge drinking, sedentary work, altered lifestyle, stress, competition and working at odd hours are possibly contributing to the rise in the incidence. Use of hormonal pills is also a major risk factor for women.
Brain attack could also be caused due to other co-morbid health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and sleep disorders which are on the rise in the recent times. Dietary factors can affect the health of the blood vessels, hence, they become indirectly responsible for triggering stroke. In the recent years, blood vessel abnormalities such as vasculitis, moya moya disease and structural abnormalities of the blood vessels are also becoming common.
In addition to this, a host of auto-immune conditions were identified recently as one of the significant causes of stroke leading to both loss of blood supply as well as bleeding into the brain. There are a group of such auto-immune diseases which can lead to continuous and progressive damage of the blood vessels, leading to either occlusion or rupture, thereby, causing brain attack.
But if detected early, these catastrophes can be prevented to a greater extent.
Is stroke preventable/treatable?
Most of us fail to understand that stroke can be prevented by bringing about certain changes in the lifestyle, and it can be treated as well, provided they get the required medical interventions at the right time.
Brain attack, either ischemic or haemorrhagic, is preventable primarily by avoiding all the known risk factors and secondarily, by promoting brain wellness through proper diet, exercise, proper sleep and avoidance of toxins.
On the other hand, pranayama is also known to reduce cerebral vascular resistance and is known to be of great help in maintaining the blood flow. The high-risk group are those who had a stroke or had a family history of stroke and younger people should especially need to be under strict vigilance for controlling the risk factors, containing the damage and thereby, promoting quick brain recovery. One needs to understand that the first three hours after brain attack is considered the “Golden period” and right intervention during this period can avert permanent disability.
Following the treatment, a rigorous neuro-rehabilitation can help in regaining the functional abilities. Unfortunately, the myth that stroke does not have proper treatment continues in India and hence, in most cases, the ‘Golden Hour’ is always missed and people resort to alternative therapies. In fact, reversal of this process by coming to specialised stroke centres immediately can avert the brain damage and later, every alternative therapy can become complimentary.
Brains has established four stroke centres in Bengaluru.
In case of an emergency, dial 1062/91480 80000.
The author is the founder & chief neurosurgeon of Brains Hospital