Stroke does not discriminate among humans on the basis of age, social strata or gender and the like. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability in India with about 14 lakh new cases occurring every year.
The alarming fact is that one in every 500 Indians suffers stroke and over 12 percent of them are below 40 years of age. The specialists attached with Dehradun-based Max Super Speciality Hospital who are dealing with such cases for years have disclosed these chilling information while talking to the media on Saturday.
The international figures are alarming too. Nearly 20 million people suffer from stroke each year while five million die and another five million are left disabled. They said that awareness being the best preventive, they are engaged in raising awareness among the common people so that they are extra alert to keep it at bay.
On this occasion, Dr Rohatgi, said, “Currently, in Indian cities, including Delhi, only 3% of the eligible stroke patients receive thrombolytic drugs to dissolve clots as they are rarely brought to a hospital on time. The rest remain paralysed as they are brought in late (later than thee and a half hours) to the hospitals.
Dr Goel states, “A Stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut short due to a clot (ischemic stroke) or rupture of blood vessels (hemorrhagic stroke). While 80% of strokes are ischemic by nature, a majority of them can be treated. The important thing about stroke is that time is of extreme import. Every second following a stroke, 32,000 brain cells die. So, the patients should be rushed at the earliest to the nearest stroke treatment centre. 12% of these strokes in India are occurring in persons less than 40 years. Half of the strokes occur due to diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol while others are a result of certain infections.”
He further said, “The changes in face, arms, speech and time (FAST) are critical to know if a person is having a stroke. Uneven face like drooping of the mouth, one arm hanging down and slurred speech are some of the common symptoms of a stroke. Timely treatment can help prevent the same from worsening.”