Stroke rates on the rise

With about 50,000 people dying from stroke each year, the disease is becoming a leading cause of death among Thais, according to the Royal College of Physicians.

Dr Nijasri Charnnarong, director of the Royal College of Physicians, said that from the estimated 250,000 new cases of strokes recorded in Thailand each year, about 50,000 patients lose their lives while around 30% of patients become paralysed.

While strokes can be fatal, death can usually be prevented if patients are well-aware of the symptoms that precede an attack and how to deal with it — which can be summarised by the acronym “FAST”, he said in an annual report on Thailand’s public health released recently.

According to Dr Nijasri, the “F” in FAST stands for facial twitching, while the “A” refers to arm weakness.

Meanwhile, “S” stands for slurred speech, while the “T” refers to the critical timing of action once the other symptoms have manifested, he said.

“It has been proven that patients who receive treatment within 4.5 hours of reporting stroke symptoms are less likely to suffer from longlasting or permanent disabilities,” said Dr Nijasri.

Awareness of the symptoms could lead to timely intervention, potentially saving lives.

The director added that those who regularly smoke cigarettes, have high-blood cholesterol levels and lead sedentary lifestyles face higher risks of suffering from a stroke.

To avoid the disease, she urged the public to exercise regularly, eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, refrain from smoking and limit alcohol intake.