Raising Awareness to Strike Out Stroke Before It Strikes You @ KIMS-SUNSHINE Hospital, Begumpet

Hyderabad, 29 October 2024: Despite the progress made in healthcare, awareness around brain stroke remains limited compared to cardiac events, even among the well-educated and affluent. Many patients continue to ignore or overlook symptoms of stroke, often arriving at hospitals too late for optimal treatment.

In observance of World Stroke Day, KIMS-SUNSHINE Hospital, Begumpet, has conducted an awareness program on Tuesday to emphasize the importance of recognizing stroke symptoms and seeking timely medical intervention. Senior Consultant Neuro Physicians Dr. CH. Gopal, Dr. Vinod Kumar, and Dr. Niveditha Sai Chandra lead this session, appreciated a recently recovered stroke warrior, who reached the hospital within window period and benefited with the treatment. They spoke about different case scenarios and challenging patient stories and concluded the session highlighting this year’s campaign theme: using the emotional power of sports to drive stroke awareness and motivate preventive action.

"Prevention is better than cure," the doctors emphasized. "Let’s all commit to reducing our stroke risk through regular exercise and lifestyle modifications."

Know the Symptoms – BE FAST!

In a call to the community, the doctors urged everyone to learn and share the warning signs of stroke, summarized by the acronym BE FAST:

• B – Balance issues,  E- Eye(sudden vision loss),  F – Facial drooping,  A–Arm weakness,  S – Speech difficulty, T – Time to act

"Time is Brain" – Every minute counts when it comes to stroke treatment. Millions of brain cells are lost with each passing minute, often leading to a permanent loss of memory and function. Recognizing stroke symptoms and seeking immediate care can prevent severe outcomes.

Stroke-Ready Hospitals and Advanced Care

For optimal treatment, patients should be taken to a stroke-ready hospital with 24/7 emergency services, MRI/CT scan, ICU support, and a team of neurologists, neurosurgeons and rehabilitation specialists. Advanced treatment options, including angiography and clot retrieval, are available at specialized stroke centres equipped with cathlabs and neuro-interventional expertise.

To combat stroke effectively, the general public needs to understand the importance of Golden Hour and Window Period, ensuring swift action during these critical times.

Join Us in the Fight Against Stroke.

This World Stroke Day, KIMS-SUNSHINE Hospital extends best wishes for speedy recovery to all stroke survivors and calls on the community to help spread stroke awareness. Together, as a global community, we can be GreaterThanStroke.