People who have a stroke can lose important brain functions. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world, warns Consultant Neurophysician Dr Aashka Ponda.
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In February 2024, stock trading firm Zerodha's CEO Nitin Kamath revealed he had suffered a mild stroke.
'Around 6 weeks ago, I had a mild stroke out of the blue.
'Dad passing away, poor sleep, exhaustion, dehydration and overworking out -- any of these could be possible reasons,' Kamath revealed in a post on X.
He was fortunate to be treated on time. In many cases of stroke and heart-related ailments, however, poor diagnosis and prevention delays the treatment, leading to sudden death in patients.
What is a stroke?
Stroke is the term doctors use when a part of the brain is damaged because of a problem with blood flow.
However, there are different types of strokes and they need to be treated differently.
When the artery going to the brain gets clogged or closes off and a part of the brain goes without blood for too long, it is called an ischemic stroke.
The artery breaks open and starts bleeding into or around the brain; this is a haemorrhagic stroke.
Can stroke cause death?
The effects of a stroke depend on many factors, including:
- What kind of stroke it is
- Which part, and how much, of the brain is affected
- How quickly the stroke is treated
People who get a stroke can lose important brain functions. For example, in some cases the patient may become partly paralysed or lose the ability to speak.
In fact, strokes are one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world.
What are the symptoms of a stroke? Can it be prevented?
The symptoms of a stroke usually start suddenly.
One way to help remember stroke symptoms is to think of the words 'BE FAST'. Each letter stands for a symptom that you should watch for and what you need to do:
- Balance: Is the person having trouble standing or walking?
- Eyes: Is the person having trouble with their vision?
- Face: Does the person's face look uneven or droop on one side?
- Arms: Does the person have weakness or numbness in one or both arms? Does one arm drift down if they try to hold both arms out?
- Speech: Is the person having trouble speaking? Does their speech sound strange?
- Time: If you notice any of these stroke signs, call for an ambulance immediately. It is important to act quickly; the sooner treatment begins, the better the chances of recovery.
What to do when you have a stroke
The right treatment depends on what kind of stroke you are having.
The most important thing you can do is to get to the hospital as quickly as you can to have an expert figure this out.
At the hospital, the doctors will do a variety of tests, including imaging tests such as a CT scan or MRI, which create pictures of the brain. Other imaging tests are used to look at the blood vessels or heart.
People whose strokes are caused by clogged arteries are treated with procedures that help reopen the arteries. These treatments can only be given for a limited period of time after the onset of the stroke.
Patients will be given medicines to prevent new blood clots. These medicines also help prevent future strokes.
If a stroke is caused by bleeding, the patient will be treated with procedures that might reduce the damage caused by bleeding in or around the brain.
Experts may recommend you that you stop taking medicines that increase bleeding or take a lower dose.
Patients with incidents of bleeding will require immediate surgery or a procedure to treat the blood vessel to prevent more bleeding (this, however, is not always possible).
Can strokes be prevented?
Many strokes can be prevented, though not always.
You can greatly lower your chance of having a stroke by following these tips:
- Take your medicines exactly as directed. Medicines that are especially important to help prevent a stroke include blood pressure medicines, medicines called statins which lower cholesterol, medicines to prevent blood clots like aspirin or blood thinners and drugs that help keep your blood sugar as close to normal as possible (that is if you have diabetes).
- Make lifestyle changes. Stop smoking, if you smoke.
- Get regular exercise (if your doctor says that it's safe) for at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week.
- Try to lose weight if you are overweight.
- Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and low in meats, sweets and refined grains (such as white bread or white rice).
Who is at risk for having a stroke?
Certain things affect a person's risk of stroke. These are called 'risk factors'.
Some of these things are not under your control. For example, you are at increased risk if:
- You are a senior citizen who is living alone.
- You have a parent or sibling who has had a stroke.
- You have had a stroke or heart attack before.
Certain health problems and behaviours also increase your risk of stroke. These include:
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- A sedentary lifestyle
- Drinking a lot of alcohol
- Misusing medication or drugs
If you have any of the above risk factors for a stroke, it's important that you take immediate steps to correct your lifestyle so you can try and lower your risk.
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