About World Stroke Day 2024
Stroke is a disease that affects arteries that lead to and within the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel carrying nutrients and oxygen to the brain is either ruptured or blocked by a clot. World Stroke Day focuses on raising awareness on stroke and the steps that can be taken to combat it. Observed on October 29th each year, World Stroke Day 2024 theme #GreaterThan Stroke aims to drive awareness of stroke and take action to reduce the risk of stroke.
Why is World Stroke Day Celebrated?
The aim of World Stroke Day 2024 is to:
Raise awareness: Educate people about stroke, its symptoms, risk factors and recognising the signs and right time to seek help.
Promote prevention: Encourage healthy lifestyle choices to help reduce the risk of stroke, such as healthy eating, physical activity and regular medical check-ups.
Highlight the significance of timely treatment: Emphasise that timely medical intervention is critical to minimise the long-term effects of stroke.
Understanding the Types of Stroke
The three main types of stroke are as follows:
Transient ischemic attack
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a temporary phase of symptoms similar to those of a stroke. However, a TIA doesn’t cause permanent damage. A TIA is caused by temporary decrease in blood supply to the brain. The decrease may last as little as five minutes. A transient ischemic attack is also referred to as a ministroke.
Ischemic stroke
The most common type of stroke in India, an ischemic stroke, occurs when the brain’s blood vessels become blocked or narrowed. This causes reduced blood flow, also known as ischemia.
Hemorrhagic stroke
A hemorrhagic stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures. Brain haemorrhage or bleeding inside the brain results from conditions that affect the blood vessels.
Stroke Symptoms
If someone is having a stroke, make sure to pay attention to the time the stroke symptoms began. This is because some treatment approaches are most effective when given soon after the stroke begins.
Some of the common stroke symptoms can be as follows:
Trouble speaking: An individual having a stroke may be confused, not able to speak what he wants to say, slur words or may not be able to understand what others are saying.
Paralysis or weakness in the face, arm or leg: Stroke often affects one side of the body. If a person is suspected to have a stroke, they must try to raise both arms over their head. If one arm starts to fall, it can be a sign of a stroke.
Trouble seeing in one or both eyes: An individual may suddenly have blackened or blurred vision in one or both eyes.
Headache: A sudden and severe headache can be a symptom of stroke. A change in consciousness, dizziness and vomiting may occur with a headache.
Trouble walking: A person having a stroke may lose sense of balance or coordination.
Stroke Risk Factors and Prevention
Almost 80% of strokes are preventable. In order to prevent stroke, the first step is to understand the risk factors of stroke. These risk factors can be divided into modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors:
Non-modifiable Risk Factors
Gender
Ethnicity
Age
Family history
Modifiable Risk Factors
1. Atrial fibrillation
AF or AFib is a condition when the heartbeat is irregular and at a fast rate. It is important to know about atrial fibrillation because, if left untreated, is one of the major risk factors of stroke.
2. Tobacco use
Tobacco use increases the risk of having a stroke. If you are a smoker, quitting helps reduce the risk of stroke and a wide range of other diseases. If you are around a non-smoker, quitting reduces their risk of stroke too.
3. Lack of physical activity
Lack of physical activity can increase the chances of a stroke. Just 30 minutes of exercise five days a week reduces the risk of stroke. A consistent workout routine plays an important role in reducing several stroke risk factors including stress, depression, cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension.
4. Build up of bad cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of fatty substance that flows in the blood. The two types of cholesterol are low-density lipoprotein and high-density cholesterol. Stroke is linked to a high level of LDL cholesterol, often referred to as bad cholesterol. This is because bad cholesterol builds up on artery walls and can cause issues with the circulatory system, increasing the risk of stroke.
Point to remember: The best diet for prevention of stroke is mostly plant-based with only a small amount of meat and fish. This diet is described as a ‘Mediterranean diet’ and there is a huge amount of evidence to support its consumption for improved cardiovascular health and prevention of stroke.
5. Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure damages the blood vessels by making them narrower and stiffer, causing a build-up of fatty material. This process is referred to as atherosclerosis. Clots can develop on areas of fatty material, and if the clot travels to the brain, it can cause a transient ischemic attack (mini stroke) or an ischemic stroke.
6. Diabetes
People with diabetes experience poorer outcomes from a stroke as compared to the rest of the population. Diabetes and stroke share several risk factors, a majority of which can be addressed with medication or lifestyle modifications.
Note: Diabetic people are also likely to experience a number of additional risk factors including high cholesterol, inactivity, poor diet and obesity.
7. Excessive alcohol consumption
Over consumption of alcohol can increase the risk of stroke. This is because alcohol is linked to several other conditions which are associated with strokes such as liver damage, obesity, diabetes, atrial fibrillation and hypertension.
Mental Health and Stroke Risk
People with a poor mental well-being are at a two times greater risk of mini strokes and strokes, particularly in adults who are middle-aged or older. Prolonged stress causes the body to release hormones that can lead to hardening of blood vessels and arteries which is linked to stroke.
Treatments for Stroke
Stroke is a medical emergency and it's critical to get medical treatment right away. Getting emergency medical help reduces the risk of brain damage and other stroke complications.
Here are a few key facts about stroke treatment:
Early recognition makes a huge difference
Recognising the signs and getting timely treatments for stroke saves lives and also improves recovery.
Think “FAST” and take the following steps:
Face: Ask the individual to smile and note if one side of the face droops.
Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms and check if one arm drifts downwards.
Speech: Ask the person to repeat a phrase and observe if the speech is different from usual or slurred.
Time: If you observe any of these signs, seek emergency stroke care at a specialised stroke centre right away.
Specialised Stroke care
Specialised stroke care and clot busting drugs (thrombolysis or Tpa) increase the chance of a good stroke treatment outcome by 30%. This treatment can be administered up to 4.5 hours after the onset of symptoms in patients with ischemic stroke. The earlier it is administered, the greater is the effectiveness.
Clot retrieval treatment
Clot retrieval treatment involves removing a blood clot to improve stroke survival rates and reduce chances of disability for people with ischemic stroke caused by artery blockage. This treatment can be administered up to 12 hours after the onset of stroke.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is a critical step in the stroke treatment process and helps improve function and regain independence over a short period of time. Rehabilitation for stroke is a full entity in itself. It is to be started as soon as the stroke starts and be continued till expected recovery is achieved. If rehabilitation is not done, the muscles get contracted and even after the recovery happens, the patient’s mobility will be compromised.
Treatments for Stroke at Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon
Stroke can affect people in different ways. For some people, it may take days or weeks to recover with little impact on daily life while for others, it may take months or years to recover with necessary lifestyle changes. Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon, India, has been recognised by the World Stroke Organisation (WSO) as the best hospital in the world for stroke treatment.
Our Stroke and Vascular Intervention (SVIN) Unit was facilitated with the Diamond Award in 2023, making it the best hospital for stroke emergency care in Gurgaon, India. Stroke can cause both physical and emotional challenges. However, with specialist support and the right rehabilitation plan, stroke survivors can recover and lead a normal life. Seek emergency medical help now, contact our 24 X 7 stroke helpline number +91 7669126391.
Article By Dr. Sumit Singh
Chief - Neurology
Artemis Hospitals