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AJ Hospital to the Rescue of the Brain Stroked at Reasonable Expenses

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Mangaluru: A unique event of spreading awareness to the public about the prevalence and risk of brain stroke was conducted by AJ Shetty Hospital and Research Centre on Friday, October 28. As a part of the World Stroke Day on October 29, AJ Shetty Hospital is conducting a comprehensive stroke checkup at a concessional rate for 15 days starting November 7.

On October 29 of every year since 2006, World Stroke Day is observed all over the globe with an aim to create awareness and reduce global burden of brain stroke. World Stroke Day 2016 aims at reducing stroke related paralysis and deaths among people of all ages under the banner, “Stroke is Treatable”.

In a press meet conducted by AJ Hospital and Research Centre, Neurologist Dr Suresh B V educated the gathering about stroke as a medical condition that can strike without warning. Speaking on the risk of stroke, Dr. Suresh said that stroke is also called brain attack because it is a sudden neurological blood clot and can happen in youth or elders alike. 

He further explained that stroke can be a dangerous disorder since around 17 million cases were reported in the year 2010 alone and leads to 6.3 lakh deaths every year. “There are certain symptoms of stroke which are only detectable when a person has a stroke attack. The golden window period of three hours between the stroke attack and treatment can decide what extent of damage can be repaired. The longer the time taken to receive medical attention, the greater will the damage be”, he cautioned.

 

Treatment in AJ Hospital for Stroke

“Though stroke is dangerous, it is treatable if the brain attack victim is brought to the hospital at the earliest. At AJ Hospital we have Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) which is a clot busting drug that can dissolve the clot and clear the block in flow of blood to the brain. But case selection is necessary for this drug because it can cause hemorrhage in victims who are brought in four hours or later after the attack”, he added. 

When asked about first aid for stroke, Dr Suresh said the stroke attack victim must lie down on the floor on their side and not on the back. “Since there will be difficulty in swallowing, there are high chances that the person will choke on anything that is fed orally including water. So it is better to call for an ambulance as soon as the attack happens and lay the victim on one side”, he suggested.

 

Some information on stroke provided by AJ Hospital and Research Centre

What is stroke?             

A stroke occurs when blood follow to a part of the brain stops or there is a tear in the blood vessel of the brain leading to brain hemorrhage.  A stroke is sometimes called a “brain attack”.  If blood flow is cut off for longer than a few seconds, the brain cannot get nutrients and oxygen.  Brain cells can die, causing a lasting damage.

 

What are the causes of stroke?

Ischemic and Hemorrhagic are 2 major types of stroke.  

Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain is blocked by a blood clot and also by clogging of arteries due to plaque.  Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in part of the brain becomes weak and bursts open.  Hemorrhagic stroke may occur when people are taking blood thinners and also those who have high blood pressure.  An ischemic stroke can develop bleedings and become hemorrhagic stroke.

 

Stroke – risk factors

Hypertension (Blood Pressure)

Irregular heartbeat, called Atrial Fibrillation

Diabetes

Family history of stroke

High Cholesterol

Increasing age, especially after age 55

Ethnicity 

Cardiac Diseases

Smoking, high-fat-diet and lack of exercise

Women on birth control pills (especially those who smoke and are older than 35)

Women who take hormone replacement therapy

 

Stroke – Symptoms

Symptoms of stroke depend on which part of the brain is damaged.  In some cases, a person may not know that a stroke has occurred.  Most of the time, symptoms develop suddenly and without warning.  Symptoms may occur on and off for the first day or two.  Symptoms are usually most severe when the stroke first happens, but they may slowly get worse.

Difficulty in speaking

Deviation of mouth to one side

Weakness of one half of the body

Numbness or tingling on one side of the body

Loss of balance or coordination or trouble walking

Confusion or loss of memory

 

When to contact a medical professional?

Stroke is a medical emergency that needs to be treated immediately.  The acronym F.A.S.T. is an easy way to remember signs of stroke and what to do if you think a stroke has occurred.  The most important action to take is to immediately call for emergency assistance.  Time plays a crucial role in the treatment of stroke.  If the patient arrives within 3 to 4½ hours of symptom onset, the blocked artery could be reopened by giving a clot-busting drug to dissolve the clot.  F.A.S.T. stands for

FACE – Ask the person to smile.  Check to see if one side of the face droops.

ARMS –Ask the person to raise both arms.  See if one arm drifts downward.

SPEECH – Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.  Check to see if words are slurred and if the sentence is repeated correctly.

TIME – If a person shows any of these symptoms, time is essential.  It is important to get to the hospital as quickly as possible.  Act FAST. 

 

Stroke Prevention

Addressing the risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, obesity, heart diseases, family history of stroke and smoking, lessens the chance of having stroke substantially.  

On the occasion of World Stroke Day, A J Hospital is conducting Comprehensive stroke checkup at a concessional rate to screen patients who could be at risk for stroke for 15 days from November 7. The check-up package is offered at Rs 2000 against the actual cost of Rs 5440 to include Blood investigations such as CBC, FBS, Serum Creatinine, Lipid Profile, Carotid Doppler study, ECG, CT Head (Plain) and Consultation with Neurologist.  Check-up will be on appointment only.  

For appointments, please call 0824 6613165 or write at ajhlounge@gmail.com.

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