DT Health: The crucial window to save lives and brain function in stroke treatment

CHENNAI: Golden Hour was designed to preserve brain tissue and reduce the mortality of brain cells. Often strokes leading to paralysis or death can be very painful amidst having rehabilitation and advanced medical treatment at bay. But how and when we respond is very crucial to stabilise the situation. Death can also happen with the condition of being in a prolonged state of coma post repeated seizures.

The swift response to how we respond to stroke is very crucial. If we sense early signs and symptoms of stroke which could be due to various reasons or factors like high blood pressure, age, diabetes, epilepsy etc. then we need to immediately ensure we rush to expert care.

All studies indicated better results when medical and procedural interventions were administered within six hours of symptom onset in patients experiencing a stroke. So when such expert-based interventions in the form of medications and treatments (to remove the clots and prevent brain damage) are provided within a swift and safe time period, it has always resulted in better outcomes.

Patients with predisposing conditions, such as those with migraines who take oral contraceptives, patent foramen ovale, cancer, antiphospholipid antibodies, and genetic thrombophilia, face a higher risk of stroke. Therefore, systematically identifying risk factors and causes, along with encouraging patients to adopt long-term preventive measures and lifestyle changes, is crucial for improving the prognosis of early-onset ischemic stroke.

Activating and educating the public on the Golden Hour concept and equipping people on how to respond during such medical emergencies are the need of the hour. An interesting initiative is the establishment of more mobile stroke units by the government, which will not only provide treatment but also raise awareness for future generations.

Dr Preetha, Senior Consultant, General Medicine and Neurology, Prashanth Hospitals