What to do in case of sudden brain stroke?

Dr.Madhukar Bhardwaj, 3 mins read

Brain damage caused by an interrupted blood supply causes a stroke. Acute stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accident, is usually classified as ischemic or hemorrhagic. An ischemic acute stroke deprives an area of the brain of blood flow, nutrients, and oxygen, leading to nerve cell damage and subsequent neurological deterioration. Weakness, paralysis, and problems with balance or coordination. Pain, numbness, or a burning and tingling sensation. Fatigue can linger long after you get home. Not paying attention to one side of the body is also known as inattention; in some severe cases, you may not be able to recognize your arms or legs.

Two leading causes of a stroke are a blocked artery (ischemic stroke) or a leaky or ruptured blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). Some people may experience only a temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain, called a transient ischemic attack (TIA), without causing long-term symptoms. Reasons are:

• High blood pressure - Your doctor may call this hypertension.
• Smoke - Smoking or chewing tobacco increases your chances of stroke.
• Heart disease - This condition includes faulty heart valves and atrial fibrillation or an irregular heartbeat, which causes one in four strokes in older adults. 
• Diabetes

Fast: Learn the symptoms of a stroke first

• Face - Ask the person to smile, and see if their face is sagging
• Arms - Ask the person to raise both arms and see if one component is weak or saggy.
• Speech - Ask the person to speak in a simple conversation, paying attention to unfamiliar words
• Time - Every minute counts. Time is the brain. Memorizing this simple phrase can make all the difference if you or someone around you has had a stroke.   

Timing is crucial because a stroke deprives brain tissue of vital oxygen, causing it to die within four minutes of its onset. The goal of the stroke team, emergency physician, or another specialist should be to evaluate a person with a suspected stroke within 10 minutes of arrival in the emergency department. The CT scan should be completed within 10 to 25 minutes of the person's appearance in the emergency department and read within 45 minutes.

The Emergency ward Team works quickly to determine the nature of the stroke so that steps can be taken to prevent further damage to brain cells.

Fat deposits on the walls of blood vessels, called atherosclerosis, are the leading cause of ischemic stroke. Fat deposits can cause two types of blockages.

The entire treatment window for stroke is defined by the time from stroke onset to 4.5 hours after onset, 6 hours, or even 12 hours in selected cases. This means that your brain's damage worsens every second as you wait for treatment. Every minute the patient waits, his brain loses 2 million brain cells. Suppose a stroke is left untreated for 10 hours, and the brain ages 36 years.

The goal is to get the time from door to treatment ASAP, during which targeted diagnostic Workup should be performed (Clot-busting drug), known as TPA) administration. Although only 10% of people fully recover from stroke, 25% have only mild disability, and 40% have a moderate disability that can be managed with great care. Everyone's recovery time after a stroke differs and can take weeks, months, or even years. Some people fully recover, while others have long-term or lifelong disabilities.

Here are the main steps you can take to reduce the risks of stroke:

1. Keep blood pressure within normal range.
2. If you smoke, please quit.
3. Keep your blood sugar (glucose) within the normal range.
4. If you have heart disease, please see a cardiologist for treatment. 
5. Keep your cholesterol levels in the normal range.
6. Maintain a healthy weight as directed by your doctor.
7. Get active in 30 minutes and schedule your workout.

 It is important. Even if you recover from a stroke and feel better, you can still manage your high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes by taking and not stopping your medications until your doctor has cleared them in advance. Most importantly, you shall mark an excellent hospital with highly qualified staff, always up-to-date with radiology and pathology, and neurologists available 24 hours a day for acute stroke.

Also, Read: Understanding the causes and types of brain stroke