What to Do in Case of a Sudden Brain Stroke?

Dr.Madhukar Bhardwaj, 5 mins read

A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked or the blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds. This leads to oxygen shortage in brain tissue. As a result, brain cells and tissues begin to die within a few minutes. This condition can cause long-term disability and sometimes even death if not timely treated.

During a stroke, every minute counts. The earlier you recognise symptoms and get medical attention, the better will be the treatment success rate. So, it’s crucial to understand the signs of a stroke and act FAST.

There is a simple way to identify a stroke:

• F - Face; ask the person to smile. Does one side of his face drop?
• A - Arm; ask the person to raise his arms. See whether one drifts downward.
• S - Speech difficulty; ask him to repeat a phrase. Do you observe any abnormal things in his speech?
• T - Time; if you see any of these symptoms, call 108 (emergency ambulance contact number in India) right away.

Contact the ambulance

After dialling the number, notify the operator that you’ve suspected a person is having a stroke and ask for emergency help. This way, the paramedical team will be better prepared for the situation.

Also, ask the operator how much time will the ambulance take to reach the incident site. If he says more than 5 minutes, take the patient from your vehicle to a hospital having at least MRI/CT scan facilities. And even inform the hospital in advance to keep the CT scanner and MRI machine ready.   

Keep a watch on the symptoms

Record all the symptoms the person is experiencing. So, when you reach the hospital, you can brief the doctor better about the situation. Also, ask the patient if he has any other medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, etc. or if he is taking any medications. This way, if the patient is unable to talk in the hospital, you already have information about the patient to inform the doctors. 

Don’t offer water or food to the patient

During a stroke, the muscle gets weaker throughout the body. This makes digestion swallowing and digestion difficult.

Don’t give medicines

Aspirin is generally given to thin the blood. But this is only beneficial when the stroke occurs due to blood clotting. Please note that blood clotting is only one cause of a stroke; it can also happen because of blood vessel rupture. Since you don’t know what is causing a stroke, don’t give any medicines to the patient without a doctor’s prescription. 

Perform CPR (if required)

In some cases, a person gets unconscious after a stroke. Check whether he is breathing. If you don’t find the pulse, start performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It is a life-saving technique performed when a person gets a heart attack or is near drowning.

Help the person to lie down & loosen his clothes

Once you see a person is having a stroke, loosen his restrictive clothes and help him lie down on his side with the head elevated. This improves the blood flow to the brain. If the person has already fallen on the ground, don’t move him.

Takeaway!

A stroke is a life-threatening condition that needs immediate medical attention. The sooner the person gets treatment, the higher the success rate will be. So, if you suspect anyone is having a stroke, immediately follow the above steps.

Also, Read: Neurological Disorders in Children: Common Conditions and Available Treatments