Dr. Kadam Nagpal said patients with symptoms should be rushed to a facility that offers neurology or stroke-related services.
As the world observed Saturday’s World Stroke Day, doctors warned the young population against a sedentary lifestyle to prevent stroke. tends to increase. This time, The Sunday Guardian spoke with Dr. Kadam Nagpal, his senior consultant in neurology at his PSRI hospital in Delhi, to understand the reasons behind stroke and how to prevent it. excerpt:
Q: Stroke is a major health challenge for many people because the general public does not understand its symptoms. Learn more about the warning signs of stroke and who is more susceptible and vulnerable to such stroke attacks.
A: A warning sign of stroke can be identified with pneumonia, which is “BEFAST”. It’s time to act. Whenever any of these signs or symptoms are noticed, without further delay, the patient should be rushed to a nearby facility that offers neurology or stroke-related services.
Q: There is a theory that strokes increase with the onset of winter. Are there any studies that prove this theory? what is your experience about this? What part of the population is prone to such winter strokes?
A: Many studies have shown that there is a seasonal predisposition to stroke (both ischemic and hemorrhagic) in winter. It is considered
Q: We have recently seen an increase in stroke cases among the country’s younger population. What could be the reason for the same?
A: As winter approaches, there is an overall increase, but at the same time, we find that the increase in cases is more common among the younger population. It may be due to improper lifestyle such as. Especially in post-Covid scenarios where people continue to work from home, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and poor sleep patterns. These worsen overall health, thereby causing high blood pressure and more stroke in young adults. A common cause of exclusion in the younger population is illicit drug use. Pre-existing heart conditions and other important conditions, such as certain genetic causes of blood becoming thicker than normal (hypercoagulable conditions), should be investigated.
Q: On the occasion of World Stroke Day, can you share some statistics about vulnerable populations, and what changes or patterns have you noticed as a practitioner over the years?
A: Recent studies estimate that approximately 170 out of 10,000 people per population suffer a stroke each year. But perhaps this is just the tip of the iceberg. It may be underestimated in the absence of adequate stroke registries. Since then, the pattern of strokes has been normal. But there has been a spike in the post-Covid phase.
Q: What is the golden hour for stroke treatment?
A: The first 3-4.5 hours of stroke are very critical and are called the “golden time”. During this time frame, if a patient is administered in a hospital setting and given a “clot-clearing” injection after proper screening, the clot is more likely to dissolve, resulting in further reduced disability. To do. Patient.
Q: What are the stroke treatment strategies currently available in India?
A: In acute/golden hour, options are to use “Clotbust” injection alone or in combination with thrombectomy techniques/interventions. Beyond golden hour window or unspecified stroke For incoming patients, anticoagulants and cholesterol-lowering drugs are often considered in conjunction with blood pressure and blood sugar/blood sugar control.
Q: What precautions can be taken to reduce the chance of stroke?
A: Patients should be given additional prophylactic medications, such as blood thinners and cholesterol-lowering drugs, to prevent the risk of future stroke. Lifestyle changes, weight loss, smoking and alcohol cessation, and control of blood pressure and blood sugar levels are necessary as preventive strategies.
Q: Can you explain to a layman the types of stroke and who is more prone to such conditions?
A: There are three types of stroke that occur. An ischemic stroke occurs when oxygen to the brain tissue is cut off due to a blood clot or “clogged pipe/vessel”. This clot usually forms elsewhere in the body and travels to the brain. Continue moving until you reach a ship small enough to block passage. This can occur immediately when a larger clot is released, or it can occur over time when plaque builds up on the inner wall of the vessel and narrows the vessel. It accounts for 80-85% of strokes.
Another type of stroke is hemorrhagic stroke. It occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts like a “leaky pipe or vessel”. In a hemorrhagic stroke, blood spills into or around the brain, causing swelling and pressure. Hemorrhagic stroke accounts for approximately 15-20% of all strokes, but 40% of all stroke deaths.
Another type of stroke, called a transient ischemic attack or TIA or “mini-stroke,” has symptoms similar to those of a stroke, but is naturally better because the blood clot only presents as a temporary symptom. Become. Most susceptible are the elderly in the country, people with hypertension, diabetes, obesity, smoking, dyslipidemia, a history of previous stroke or a history or history of underlying heart disease.
