VELLORE: About 40 per cent of the youth population in India is at high risk of a brain stroke, largely attributed to unhealthy lifestyles, such as the inability to control high blood pressure, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, lack of physical activities or exercise, unhealthy food habits, alcohol intake and tobacco chewing or cigarette smoking, according to Dr Halprashanth, consultant neurologist attached to the Global Health City in Chennai, who was in Vellore on Monday to create public awareness, as part of Stroke Awareness Month.
“Primarily caused by the interruption of blood flow to the brain or by bleeding inside the brain, the impact of stroke can be devastating to individuals and their families. An estimated 17 million people are affected by brain strokes every year. Incidents show that 60 per cent of stroke victims are left with moderate to severe disabilities that last a lifetime,” he said.
He also cautioned his listeners that while the elderly population was more vulnerable to stroke, the young were becoming increasingly at risk as well. Incidents show that 60 per cent of stroke victims are left with moderate to severe disabilities that last a lifetime, he added.
One should watch out for symptoms such as face drooping, weakness, numbness in arms or legs and speech difficulties, and report them to a doctor. It is important that extreme outcomes of stroke such as death or permanent disability is avoided by keeping an eye out for warning signs.
Within 4.5 hours of the onset of stroke symptoms, an intravenous thrombolytic (IVT) drug must be administered to remove the clot in the vessel supplying blood to the brain. This way one can increase the chances of reversing the stroke completely or partially, he said.
Dr Joy Varghese added that IVT therapy followed by neuro intervention procedure doubled the chances of stroke reversal.
Baskar Reddy, vice president, corporate relations, attached to the hospital, said that the Global Centre for Stroke Management has emerged as the only structured stroke intervention programme in the city providing round the clock assistance to handle stroke-related cases.
