Did you know that stroke is one of the leading causes of death and lifelong disability? Once you have a stroke, it has a long-term effect on your health and life. It is seen that the incidence of stroke in India is increasing rapidly which is worrying! According to the Indian Stroke Association, 1.8 million Indians suffer a stroke each year. The only way to save their lives and reduce the risk of long-term disability or death is to provide medical treatment within the Golden Hour. Sadly, most people do not know about this golden hour of stroke. To spread awareness about this topic, we created this article to share about the significance of the golden hour for stroke treatment.
Stroke is a small word but it is extremely effective in terms of overall well-being. According to Dr. Srinivas R, Lead Consultant-Neurology, Aster CMI Hospital, stroke occurs when the blood vessels in the brain rupture or become blocked. Because of this, the blood supply is interrupted and your brain does not get the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function normally. Since the brain is the body’s CPU, its effective functioning can put your life at risk. This condition can disable you and affect your hearing, speech, eating, movement and almost all important processes! This is why timely treatment of stroke in Golden Hour is very important for the patient.
What is the Golden Hour for stroke patients?
The term Golden Hour is used for life-saving periods where the chances of a stroke patient surviving through immediate treatment are high. If the patient receives medical help during the Golden Hour, he can avoid the complications of stroke.
Also read: What causes ischemic stroke in young people?
For a stroke, the Golden Hour period is four and a half hours after experiencing the symptoms of a stroke. In its absence, one can have brain damage that cannot be treated later, in short, irreversible brain damage. Immediate medical attention, thus, is paramount.
Symptoms of a stroke
It is not a problem to have a specific set of symptoms that one may have. One can confuse general pain with stroke and actual stroke symptoms with normal problems. For this reason, doctors recommend fast methods for detecting strokes.
- F-facial dropping
- A- Arm weakness
- S-speech difficulty
- T-time
If you see this set of symptoms, it is a stroke. Time is the key to surviving a stroke and saving your life. People ignore these symptoms because they have a brain stroke. For this reason, stroke is also called silent killer. One has to work immediately and find a good hospital nearby for the best treatment. In that case, do not forget to go to the general practitioner.
There are three types of stroke of which ischemic stroke is the most common. 88% of total stroke ischemic stroke. In this case, blockages are identified in the blood vessels that interfere with the supply of oxygen to the brain. If not treated in time, it can cause blood vessels to rupture which can lead to stroke, leading to hemorrhagic stroke. It is important to identify the type of stroke to get the right help.
Also read: How digital detox can prevent stroke in young people
How to manage a stroke?
Before seeking treatment, one must know how to handle the situation when you have a stroke or see its visible symptoms. Also, if you see someone having a stroke, these tips might be helpful for you:
- Ask for help– If you suspect a stroke, call your family member for help. Then, call an ambulance to take you to the hospital. You can also consult a neurologist if you have access to them.
- Observe the symptoms– Notice the progression of the symptoms.
- Do not give any medicine- People prescribe medication to reduce the symptoms but it can be fatal in case of stroke. Medications can exacerbate the problem by complicating the process and causing long-term complications such as paralysis.
Stroke is a serious condition. If you do not want to lose your health and life to a stroke, act on time. Consult a doctor immediately during the Golden Hour to avoid complications of stroke.
Image Credit – Fripic