STROKES AND YOUNG LIVES

Getting a stroke is fast becoming a real and present danger for today’s younger generation — blame it on our diet and fast-paced lifestyles. Here’s what you need to know to avoid becoming a statistic

The last thing Bomikazi Pooe* vaguely remembers about 18 September 2018 was a conversation with a classmate about an upcoming assignment. The next thing, she felt pins and needles in her left leg followed by numbness on her lips and stifled words stuck in her dry mouth. She’d had pins and needles on her left leg before, accompanied by dizzy spells that would last a split second, so she dismissed that Wednesday afternoon’s symptoms as just another fleeting health woe. All this happened within a matter of seconds.

“Life as we know it can literally change within a matter of seconds. I’d been feeling particularly good and wasn’t my usual panicky self. Upon arrival at the hospital, I was told that I’d had a stroke but that, luckily, I had arrived in time for the doctors to administer a clot-detangling drug called Tissue Plasminogen Activator (TPA),” Pooe recalls. Aggrieved at the news, mostly about what the aftermath of a stroke would mean for her busy and cool life, the 35-yearold couldn’t believe that she was listening to a medical report about her own life!

“TPA is a drug used to shrink or possibly break up the blood clots blocking the flow of blood in the brain,” says Joburg-based Physician Dr Nthabiseng Kumalo. However, she warns that not all stroke patients are eligible for TPA. Patients who suffer ischemic strokes — one of the most common types — can benefit from this medication. However, a brain scan needs to be done before TPA is administered, because certain medical conditions place patients on the high-risk list.

By KEMONG MOPEDI

“For instance, patients with a hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in the brain), brain aneurysms, recent surgical procedures, head injuries, bleeding or blood clotting disorders, pregnancy, blood-thinning medication or uncontrolled hypertension won’t benefit from the medication. If anything, it could possibly place them in harm’s way,” Kumalo explains. In addition, the drug must be administered within four hours after the stroke.

YOUNGER STROKE TARGETS

You feel pretty invincible when you’re young and sometimes, having a bout of flu would stop few from going out partying. Given a choice between taking care of whatever’s bugging you health-wise and FOMO (fear of missing out)— most times the latter would win hands down.

“Most young people think that they’re perfectly fine after dodging healthy eating and exercising for many years. The reality is that we live under incredible pressure today, meaning we’re taking on more stress than our bodies can handle. Add to the facts that juggling our lives and demanding careers robs us of time to eat healthily and to exercise, meaning we actually aren’t living our best health lives,” says Dr Kumalo.

Stroke rates among young adults appear to be on the rise. According to ScienceDaily.com, “Globally, one in four adults older than 25, is at risk for stroke during his or her lifetime, according to a 25-year study published in December 2018 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers looked at a lifetime stroke risk starting at age 25 instead of 45. Stroke risks varied geographically and were lowest among adults in sub-Saharan Africa, but not because they have better heart health. Researchers believe this population is at a higher risk of death from other causes. The researchers stressed the importance of following a heart-healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, not smoking and curbing alcohol, as ways to prevent succumbing to a stroke.” Contraceptives have also been linked to an increased risk of blood clots — though slight! Blood clots are said to account for 87 percent of all strokes.

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

Stroke prevention is better than cure because the chances of it striking again are very high, Dr Kumalo warns. “While medical treatments have become advanced and could possibly reduce the dire effects of a stroke, prevention is key.” Therefore, taking better care of ourselves and slowing down when our bodies give off signs of fatigue aren’t things to be taken lightly.

Dr Kumalo advises less dependecy on alcohol as a coping mechanism, avoiding smoking and illegal drug usage, decreasing high cholesterol and fat levels, managing diabetes and maintaining a healthy blood pressure.

She adds that the start of a headache that feels like your brain has been split into two can be a telltale sign of a hemorrhagic stroke for younger people. “Your quality of life afterwards will depend on how quickly you seek help from a physician.”

*Not her real name