stroke
Lucknow : When 32-year-old private executive Akashy Yadav’s speech began slurring and he felt weakness in the right arm and difficulty in maintaining balance, he dismissed the symptoms as stress and exhaustion. Ahead of World Stroke Day (Oct 29), neurologists warned that delays in treatment can be devastating. Neuro-interventional radiology consultant at ApolloMedics Hospital, Dr Dewansh Mishra, said, “We are seeing stroke cases in people aged 24 and 28, which were rare earlier. At Max Super Speciality Hospital, young adults account for nearly 10-15% of stroke patients, according to consultant neurologist Dr Pooja Tripathi.
Medanta Hospital’s director of neurology, Dr Anup Kumar Thacker, said early detection and treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes are the most effective ways to prevent strokes. Max Super Speciality Hospital clinical nutritionist and head of dietetics, Saima Faruqi, said frequent consumption of fried snacks, sugary drinks, sweets, salty foods and refined-flour products contributes to obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension. His family rushed him to King George’s Medical University, where doctors diagnosed a stroke. Prompt treatment prevented serious disability, but neurologists say many young patients ignore early warning signs and lose valuable time. Such cases are becoming increasingly common. Once seen largely as an old-age disease, stroke is now affecting people in their 20s and 30s. Doctors attribute the trend to unhealthy lifestyles, rising diabetes and hypertension and poor awareness of symptoms. Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a blockage or bleeding and every minute of delay raises the risk of brain damage. Children are also showing stroke-like symptoms. Neurologists emphasised that stroke treatment is highly time-sensitive. Patients suffering a stroke caused by a blocked artery can benefit from treatments that restore blood flow to the brain, but only if they reach hospital within the recommended treatment window. Doctors urge people to seek immediate medical attention rather than wait for symptoms to pass.