Emergency Stroke Management and Care

One side of the face drops. An arm goes weak, or speech comes out slurred. A stroke usually strikes without warning, and the person may not realise anything is wrong. If you see these signs, call an ambulance or get to the nearest emergency department at once. Don't wait to see if it passes.

A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, most often by a clot (ischaemic stroke) and less often by an artery bursting and bleeding into the brain (haemorrhagic stroke). Brain cells start dying within minutes. The two types need opposite treatment, so a brain scan comes first. A clot can be dissolved with medicine through a drip (thrombolysis), but only within about 4.5 hours of the first symptom.

Many people regain a lot of what they lost, mostly in the first 3 to 6 months. Some are left with lasting weakness or speech problems, and preventing a second stroke becomes part of daily life.

At Prakash Hospital, suspected strokes go straight to the resuscitation bay of our 24/7 emergency department. Our neurology team follows a dedicated stroke protocol with the emergency, radiology and critical care teams to cut the time to treatment, and rehabilitation starts early.

Remember FAST. Any one of these signs, even briefly, is an emergency.

The brain can rewire itself to a surprising degree, especially in the first few months. Progress is often slower than families hope, but regular therapy makes a real difference.