Stroke an emerging concern among younger population

Hyderabad, October 28th, 2020: ‘Stroke’, a medical emergency caused due to the damage of the brain from interruption of its blood supply occurs mostly among people aged over 65 years. However, there is a gradual increase in the number of stroke incidents occurring to those aged below 45 years; and in the recent times there are instances of people in their early 30s succumbing due to stroke to the brain.

On the eve of World Stroke Day, there is an imminent need to create awareness about the risk posed even to the younger population. The most common symptoms of stroke, including loss of speech, facial droop, and weakness on one side of the body are the same even in the younger age groups. And other symptoms can include vision loss, double vision, slurred speech, dizziness, or difficulty walking. Identifying stroke as a cause for these symptoms is often delayed by a lack of recognition that stroke can happen to someone in this younger age range.

Commenting on the ailment, Dr. Kailas Mirche, Consultant Neurologist, Continental Hospitals said, “If not attended to early, stroke is fatal and could cause instant death in few victims. It is mandatory that people who suffer a stroke are brought to a medical facility within the first four hours of occurrence to ensure the victim is treated with the right medication. Most times, a victim treated within the ‘golden hours’ show miraculous recovery and return to a normal routine within a few days of suffering stroke.”

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Rahul Medakkar, CEO, Continental Hospitals said, "A stroke is all it takes to lose everything, maybe even life. Recognizing early warning signs of stroke and reaching to right hospital differentiates between cure, disability, and death. Continental Hospital’s Department of Neurosciences has a proven track record of exceptional outcomes for stroke patients. Very soon, we are adding technology for deep brain stimulation to further improvise the outcomes of stroke outcomes and other neurological disorders."

Risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cigarette smoking can lead to atherosclerosis among younger people too, which could lead to a stroke. Consumption of certain drugs, infections, and inflammatory conditions can also lead to a stroke in those aged below 50 years. While some causes of stroke in young people may be genetically influenced, at least in 25-35% of young people, an exact cause for stroke cannot be identified!

About Continental Hospitals:

Continental Hospital is a NABH and JCI-accredited facility in Hyderabad offering multi-specialty tertiary and quaternary care services. The hospital has a capacity of 750 beds with 250 operational beds currently. The hospital has Green OT, Level 3 NICU and PICU, and it’s known for efficient critical care team. The hospital has state-of-the-art facilities and medical equipment, as well as the latest communication and information technology. Key specialties include Cardiac Sciences, Neurosciences, Gastroenterology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oncology, Orthopedics and Emergency Medicine.

Continental Hospitals is a part of IHH Healthcare, a leading premium integrated healthcare provider with a network of 84 hospitals and more than 16,000 licensed beds. It is one of the largest healthcare groups in the world by market capitalization and is listed in the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia and Main Board of SGX-ST. IHH is a leading player in the home markets of Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey and India, and in their key growth markets of China and Hong Kong.