On the occasion of World Stroke Day observed every year on October 29, doctors and medical experts warned that incidents of brain stroke among youngsters are on the rise due to addiction and a sedentary lifestyle. They said that time is of the essence in treating brain stroke patients and that greater awareness is needed among patients.

Dr Nasli Icchaporia, director – Neurology, Sahyadri Super Speciality hospital, said that time is crucial while treating brain stroke patients and that we need more stroke-ready hospitals. “We can minimise the disability by early recognition and treatment. Interventional techniques – like administering clot bursting injections within four-and-a-half hours and if required, Mechanical Thrombectomy namely Stent Retrievers with which large vessels can be opened up and which has to be carried out within six hours of the onset of stroke – have significantly improved the outcomes if the patient is brought to the hospital on time,” he said. He said that a new acronym B.E.F.A.S.T. which stands for balance, eyes, face, arm, speech and time will be helpful in encouraging people to recognise the warning signs of stroke and get help as soon as possible.

“It is not only important for a patient to be brought to the hospital fast, but it is also important for the emergency department to have a streamlined process to deal with strokes. The emergency department should be designed to do streamlined choreography with their own stroke codes. The entire staff should be educated about the signs and symptoms of stroke, blood sugar should be checked in the ambulance on the way, and the emergency department should be sounded off so that they can keep the entire infrastructure ready. Telemedicine too can prove beneficial,” said Dr Icchaporia.

Dr Dhanshree Peddawad, consultant neurologist at Jupiter hospital, Pune, said that incidents of brain stroke among youngsters are increasing as the pressure among them is increasing. She said that many young patients who are in their late 30s and early 40s are suffering brain strokes.

“The reason is increase in stress, a sedentary lifestyle and addiction to smoking. These are some of the primary causes that can lead to a brain stroke. Simple changes in lifestyle like regular exercise, healthy diet, and giving up smoking can help eliminate or reduce the risk factors. Also more awareness is needed among the general public to be able to recognise early signs of a stroke and consult a doctor,” Dr Peddawad said.

Brain stroke is a medical emergency which occurs when blood supply to the brain is blocked either by a clot or a burst. This can have a damaging and disabling effect on the body depending on the extent and location of the damage as different areas of the brain are responsible for controlling different functions. The ruptured blood vessels can even cause severe damage like brain haemorrhage.