Lifestyle changes after Covid have made the young more vulnerable to strokes, doctors said at a programme to raise awareness on the threat on Wednesday.
“Stroke is not limited only to elderly people, especially after the Covid pandemic, because of our new lifestyle where we do not walk often, or how we are becoming dependent on machines. The prevalence of stroke in the young is on the rise. Lifestyle is a very important factor. We compromise on exercise and diet. Hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular complications are on the rise,” said Apratim Chatterjee, director of stroke at the Institute of Neurosciences Kolkata (I-NK).
A healthy lifestyle that includes outdoor activities and social interactions is key to mitigating the threat, he said.
On Wednesday, to mark World Stroke Day, the Mallickbazar institute organised a campaign which saw doctors explain the rising threat from strokes.
“There are three main diseases that end our lives. The first is cancer and heart disease, and then stroke, but stroke is the most common cause of disability. When it happens, a person cannot move one of their sides, or cannot talk and see properly. A person is completely devastated, especially when this comes at the prime of life,” said R.P. Sengupta, founder-chairman of I-NK.
“Previously, there was no effective treatment for stroke. We advised individuals against smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, as well as managing diabetes and blood pressure, to decrease the risk of stroke. Fortunately, there is now a treatment option if a patient is brought in within one to two hours, during the crucial golden period, allowing for immediate diagnosis and the start of treatment. The effects caused by a stroke can be reversed,” commented Sengupta.
Chatterjee said stroke is an epidemic situation right now. “One in every four persons is vulnerable. Calcutta’s stroke mortality rate is higher than the national average. In another decade, the epidemic is going to assume a far deadlier scale,” he said.
