Page 10 - Seniors Today - Oct 2019
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The human brain has different areas that Speech Slurred
control how the body moves and feels. When Time Early diagnosis and treatment can reverse
a stroke damages a certain part of the brain, or minimise the effects of a stroke - a concept to
that part may not work as well as it did before, remember is Time is Brain, so don’t waste time!
cause problems with walking, speaking, seeing Get to a hospital, go as quickly as possible.
or feeling, pose challenges with basic self-care, At the hospital, the patient will be examined
bathing, dressing, eating, memory, emotions and to confirm signs of stroke, history of past
depression. illness checked, blood pressure and other vitals
Diagnosis of a Stroke checked and blood taken for examination.
Stroke can hit anyone anywhere. Like it
happened with Mr and Mrs Mehta (name
changed to protect privacy). Married for some
decades, this handsome elderly couple in
their late 50s decided to trot the globe. On the
itinerary was a cruise from Dubai to Mumbai.
While watching television in the evening, Mr
Mehta experience a sudden dizziness, slurred
speech, swayed to the right and almost fell
from his chaise longue. After primary care, the
emergency code was activated and the captain of
the cruise was alerted to dock the ship as fast as
possible to Mumbai for further care.
Arteriovenous malformation- tangle of vessels on brain
surface He reached the hospital after four hours of the
How do you determine if you or someone is stroke onset. I undertook an urgent MRI and
having a stroke? MR Angiography Brain at the Breach Candy
Well, they may develop one of the more of the Hospital. One could see an an occlusion of the
following signs or symptoms: right middle cerebral artery.
•Paralysis or numbness of face arm leg may Since 2013-14, the physical removal of the
develop suddenly. Often this happens on one thrombus (clot in blood tubes of the brain) from
side of body - to test this, ask them to try to raise blood vessels of the brain have revolutionised
both arms and check if one side starts to fall. the treatment of strokes.
Also, ask them to smile, if one side of mouth Mr Mehta came in during the Golden Hours
droops. These are important signs of a stroke.
•Trouble seeing in one or both eyes - suddenly
blurred or blackened vision in one or both eyes,
or you see everything double
•Trouble with walking - may stumble, loss
of balance, coordination, dizziness, altered
consciousness
•Sudden severe headache may be accompanied
with vomiting this is highly suggestive of a
haemorrhagic stroke
A quick mnemonic is FAST
Face Ask person to smile, if mouth one side
drops
Arms Ask person to raise both arms - does one Haemorrhagic stroke - CT scan shows haemorrhage as
arm drift down or unable to raise one arm white area
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