World stroke day: Timely treatment key to prevent brain damage

Chennai: World Stoke Day 2016 brings to the forefront the knowledge that "Stroke is Treatable”. On the occasion of World Stroke Day, it is important to spread awareness about the disease and the essential practices that can help control the damage it causes.

Stroke is an attack caused by the interruption of the blood supply to any part of the brain. When blood flow is denied to the brain for longer than a few seconds and the brain is deprived of blood and oxygen, brain cells can die, and the abilities controlled by that area of the brain are lost. The onset of ischemic stroke which restricts blood and oxygen flow to the brain, can damage 1.9 million nerve cells every second.

Head or neck trauma increases the chance of ischemic stroke three fold among patients younger than 50. If the stroke is detected early, effective treatment could be given in time to prevent long term disabilities.

Dr. Satish Kumar, Consultant Neurologist & Stroke Specialist, Fortis Malar Hospital said, “Recently Jagadish, a 26 year old man was admitted to Fortis Malar Hospital after being involved in a motor vehicle accident near Minjur, Chennai. He was brought confused and disoriented to emergency department with profusely bleeding injury to his face. Initial neurological examination by Stroke unit was normal, but within a few hours he developed left side paralysis in hospital noticed by staff nurse. Immediately CT Angiography of neck and vessels (that that uses X-rays to provide detailed pictures of the blood vessels that go to the brain) revealed Internal Carotid Artery Dissection (tear in the one of the major arteries which allows blood under arterial pressure to enter the wall of artery and split its layers which can be a source of microemboli causing stroke).”