Life Desk :
Do you feel you are too young to be worried about stroke? Well, almost 15 per cent strokes are hitting people in their 30s and 40s. And this surely calls for immediate attention!
Until recently, it was thought that stroke was common among those above the age of 60-65 but according to a study conducted by Public Health Foundation of India, IIPH Hyderabad, the prevalence of stroke in younger individuals is high in India (18-32 percent of all stroke cases). Furthermore, the study revealed that about 10 percent to 15 percent of strokes occur in people below the age of 40 years. In addition, men are more likely to suffer a stroke over women. A massive stroke can be fatal but it’s the top cause of disability.
“The most striking fact is that stroke is on the decline in the West, while in India it is on the rise. This is because of urbanisation.
People in the age group of 30 – 40 suffer from hypertension, high cholesterol, high BP, diabetes, obesity and have drinking and smoking addiction,” Dr P N Renjen, senior consultant, neurology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.
So what exactly is a stroke? Gundeep Singh, occupational and neuro therapist, AktivOrtho explains, “Stroke, also known as Cerebro Vascular Accident (CVA), occurs when there is an interruption of the blood flow to the brain resulting in a sudden loss of neurological function.
This can lead to a range of deficits including changes in the level of consciousness as well as impairments of motor, cognitive, sensory, perceptual and language function. It is to be noted that in order to be classi?ed as a stroke, neurological de?cits must persist for at least 24 hours.”
There are broadly two types of strokes- ischemic and hemorrhagic. While the former is caused by interruption of the blood supply, latter results from rupture of a blood vessel or an abnormal vascular structure. Out of all the strokes, almost 87 per cent are caused by ischemia, and the rest by haemorrhage. “Stroke victims are more prone to mental issues and the symptoms include anxiety, irritability and agitation, uncontrollable crying, apathy, delusions and hallucinations,” adds Delhi-based Vikas Tripathi, AVP, VIVO Healthcare.
Is being physically active enough?
If you think that being physically active cuts you out from the list, you need to get your facts right. “Being physically active surely helps but it cannot shun the risk completely. The risk of stroke has a lot to do with your diet and your lifestyle in general,” puts Delhi-based Dr. Atul N.C .Peters, Director of Institute of Bariatric, Metabolic and Minimal Access Surgery, Fortis Hospital. Putting it in a nutshell, excessive smoking, alcohol, sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, unhealthy food habits, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, obesity and persistently high stress both at work and home all contribute to the risk of getting a stroke.
On top of that people with a family history of stroke are at an elevated risk of stroke too.
What makes the matter even more critical is that most of these early stroke cases wait to see if the symptoms will go away on their own. “They then show up at the hospital 12 to 24 hours later, which makes the matter worse,”shares US-based Dr Seemant Chaturvedi, a neurologist at Wayne State.
Eating right
Chandigarh-based nutritionist, Mansi Chatrath says that one of the prime factors of early stroke is the so-called ‘cafeteria diet’ which is rich in high-calorie, high-sugar and high-salt foods. “This practically creates a time bomb of health problems, which is ready to explode.” Coming to the junk food, almost all processed and packaged food can be included in this category. Most of these items contain unhealthy amounts of fat, sugar and salt. Snacks and other preparations with high sugar, salt and oil should also be avoided. It is best to consume fresh food items especially whole grains, fruits and vegetables. “Also, it is advised to have atleast 8-10 glasses of water as it helps flush out the toxins,” Chatrath recommends.
Critical stroke signs to watch out for
· Sudden, severe headache with an unknown cause
· Sudden numbness, weakness or paralysis of the face, arm or leg, on one side of the body
· Sudden dimness or visual loss, particularly in one eye
· Dizziness, loss of balance or staggering walk
· Slurred speech or inability to talk
· Abrupt loss of consciousness
How to recognise a stroke
Remember F.A.S.T. F- Face drooping A- Arm weakness S- Speech difficulty T- Time to call ambulance or emergency
Primary factors that lead to stroke
· Obesity – Up to 49 per cent
· Smoking – Up to 46 per cent (in men)
· Hypertension – Up to 40 per cent
· High cholesterol – Up to 32 per cent
· Alcohol consumption – 22 per cent
Top comment
Lesson for us all. Continual medical check is an absolute must. Lifestyle has to comply with the health. We have to take heridatry history very seriously. It is very important to get to hospital at t… Read MoreChiman Patel
· Heart disease – Up to 12 per cent
· Diabetes – Up to 12 per cent
– Family history of stroke – 8 per cent
– From Web
Do you feel you are too young to be worried about stroke? Well, almost 15 per cent strokes are hitting people in their 30s and 40s. And this surely calls for immediate attention!
Until recently, it was thought that stroke was common among those above the age of 60-65 but according to a study conducted by Public Health Foundation of India, IIPH Hyderabad, the prevalence of stroke in younger individuals is high in India (18-32 percent of all stroke cases). Furthermore, the study revealed that about 10 percent to 15 percent of strokes occur in people below the age of 40 years. In addition, men are more likely to suffer a stroke over women. A massive stroke can be fatal but it’s the top cause of disability.
“The most striking fact is that stroke is on the decline in the West, while in India it is on the rise. This is because of urbanisation.
People in the age group of 30 – 40 suffer from hypertension, high cholesterol, high BP, diabetes, obesity and have drinking and smoking addiction,” Dr P N Renjen, senior consultant, neurology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.
So what exactly is a stroke? Gundeep Singh, occupational and neuro therapist, AktivOrtho explains, “Stroke, also known as Cerebro Vascular Accident (CVA), occurs when there is an interruption of the blood flow to the brain resulting in a sudden loss of neurological function.
This can lead to a range of deficits including changes in the level of consciousness as well as impairments of motor, cognitive, sensory, perceptual and language function. It is to be noted that in order to be classi?ed as a stroke, neurological de?cits must persist for at least 24 hours.”
There are broadly two types of strokes- ischemic and hemorrhagic. While the former is caused by interruption of the blood supply, latter results from rupture of a blood vessel or an abnormal vascular structure. Out of all the strokes, almost 87 per cent are caused by ischemia, and the rest by haemorrhage. “Stroke victims are more prone to mental issues and the symptoms include anxiety, irritability and agitation, uncontrollable crying, apathy, delusions and hallucinations,” adds Delhi-based Vikas Tripathi, AVP, VIVO Healthcare.
Is being physically active enough?
If you think that being physically active cuts you out from the list, you need to get your facts right. “Being physically active surely helps but it cannot shun the risk completely. The risk of stroke has a lot to do with your diet and your lifestyle in general,” puts Delhi-based Dr. Atul N.C .Peters, Director of Institute of Bariatric, Metabolic and Minimal Access Surgery, Fortis Hospital. Putting it in a nutshell, excessive smoking, alcohol, sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, unhealthy food habits, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, obesity and persistently high stress both at work and home all contribute to the risk of getting a stroke.
On top of that people with a family history of stroke are at an elevated risk of stroke too.
What makes the matter even more critical is that most of these early stroke cases wait to see if the symptoms will go away on their own. “They then show up at the hospital 12 to 24 hours later, which makes the matter worse,”shares US-based Dr Seemant Chaturvedi, a neurologist at Wayne State.
Eating right
Chandigarh-based nutritionist, Mansi Chatrath says that one of the prime factors of early stroke is the so-called ‘cafeteria diet’ which is rich in high-calorie, high-sugar and high-salt foods. “This practically creates a time bomb of health problems, which is ready to explode.” Coming to the junk food, almost all processed and packaged food can be included in this category. Most of these items contain unhealthy amounts of fat, sugar and salt. Snacks and other preparations with high sugar, salt and oil should also be avoided. It is best to consume fresh food items especially whole grains, fruits and vegetables. “Also, it is advised to have atleast 8-10 glasses of water as it helps flush out the toxins,” Chatrath recommends.
Critical stroke signs to watch out for
· Sudden, severe headache with an unknown cause
· Sudden numbness, weakness or paralysis of the face, arm or leg, on one side of the body
· Sudden dimness or visual loss, particularly in one eye
· Dizziness, loss of balance or staggering walk
· Slurred speech or inability to talk
· Abrupt loss of consciousness
How to recognise a stroke
Remember F.A.S.T. F- Face drooping A- Arm weakness S- Speech difficulty T- Time to call ambulance or emergency
Primary factors that lead to stroke
· Obesity – Up to 49 per cent
· Smoking – Up to 46 per cent (in men)
· Hypertension – Up to 40 per cent
· High cholesterol – Up to 32 per cent
· Alcohol consumption – 22 per cent
Top comment
Lesson for us all. Continual medical check is an absolute must. Lifestyle has to comply with the health. We have to take heridatry history very seriously. It is very important to get to hospital at t… Read MoreChiman Patel
· Heart disease – Up to 12 per cent
· Diabetes – Up to 12 per cent
– Family history of stroke – 8 per cent
– From Web
