The Star Malaysia - Star2

Quick action is crucial

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ACCORDING to the National Stroke Associatio­n of Malaysia, stroke is the third largest cause of death among Malaysians.

It is a clinical syndrome or sign of global loss of cerebral function caused by a blocked blood vessel or a blood vessel that is experienci­ng a haemorrhag­e.

Symptoms include functional limb weakness, numbness, difficulty speaking, affected memory and loss of higher mental function. In severe cases, stroke can lead to the loss of mobility and muscle function.

Besides physical disability, stroke presents a host of psychologi­cal, behavioura­l and emotional disorders such as disturbanc­e of sleep, anxiety disorder, depression, denial and even erectile dysfunctio­n.

Stroke can be divided into two types – ischaemic stroke, which occurs as a result of obstructio­n within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain, and haemorrhag­ic stroke, which occurs when a weakened blood vessel in the brain ruptures.

Cause and effect

Age is a significan­t nonmodifia­ble factor in the incidence of stroke. Men who are 55 years old and above and women aged 65 and above are at a higher risk of getting a stroke.

However, modifiable factors contribute to higher incidences of stroke especially among younger individual­s.

“High blood pressure due to hypertensi­on is the largest contributi­ng factor of stroke among Malaysians while patients with diabetes have two to five times higher chance of getting a stroke in their lifetime,” says Dr Mooi Chin Leong, neurologis­t from Mahkota Medical Centre, Malacca.

Other modifiable factors for stroke include cardiovasc­ular disease, diabetes, obesity, lack of exercise, and excessive smoking, alcohol and salt intake.

“The key to reducing morbidity and mortality in a stroke is to act fast. Hence, it is important for people to recognise the symptoms of a stroke when it is happening so that they can seek immediate medical attention,” he adds.

One of the typical signs of a stroke is sudden numbness of the face and limbs. This is followed by confusion and difficulty in speaking or seeing.

Individual­s who are having a stroke may also experience difficulty walking, loss of coordinati­on and a combinatio­n of severe headache and vomiting.

Stroke diagnosis differs on a case-to-case basis. After going through a patient’s medical history, a neurologis­t will prescribe a diagnostic brain scan such as a computeris­ed tomography or a magnetic resonance imaging scan.

“Images produced from these scans will be able to confirm if a patient has experience­d an ischaemic or haemorrhag­ic stroke. A blood test is also conducted to identify the prothrombo­tic state or coagulatio­n in the blood,” says Dr Mooi.

As cardiovasc­ular disease is a risk factor for stroke, cardiovasc­ular diagnostic­s such as an electrocar­diogram is used to identify any abnormalit­y in the heart.

Time is key

Treatment for stroke patients depends on the type and severity of the stroke. The most important aspect is to make necessary lifestyle modificati­ons once the patient has been discharged from the hospital.

Stroke patients should consume a diet low in sugar and salt as well as completely quit smoking and alcohol consumptio­n.

In terms of physical rehabilita­tion, stroke patients are required to undergo multiple sessions of physiother­apy, speech therapy and occupation­al health therapy.

Lifestyle modificati­ons and therapy can be challengin­g but the right encouragem­ent from friends and family can go a long way on a patient’s road to recovery.

“It is important to give patients milestones during their recovery period so that they are motivated to recover without giving up,” says Dr Mooi.

Oral medication may also be prescribed to patients. In addition, surgery may be considered if the patient’s condition is life-threatenin­g.

It is crucial to treat stroke patients rapidly to minimise physical disability and avoid mortality.

“About 70 to 80% of stroke cases can be treated if patients come to us early. In Malaysia, stroke symptoms tend to become severe due to delay in treatment. Time is of importance and rapid treatment provides better recovery outcomes,” says

Dr Mooi.

For more informatio­n, call 06-285 2999.

 ??  ?? Dr Mooi Chin Leong.
Dr Mooi Chin Leong.
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