City doctors saved the life of a 35-year-old woman who was suffering from drowsiness, inability to walk and slurred speech due to an acute stroke that could have been fatal as she was brought to the hospital in a comatose state. However, the patient has recovered completely and resumed her daily routine with the help of rehabilitation and physiotherapy. Doctors said that timely intervention can reduce morbidity and mortality due to stroke.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in India, with the incidence of neurological disorders doubling in the recent past.
Consultant neurologist at Zen Multispecialty Hospital, Dr Anil Venkitachalam said the patient was almost comatose at the time of presentation to the casualty and a stroke occurs when the blood flow to the brain is cut off. It was almost 12 hours after the onset of symptoms that she came to the hospital. She had evidence of bilateral cerebellar infarcts with cerebral oedema. In such cases, if left untreated, the brain swells up and vital brain functions may be compromised, eventually leading to significant damage and mortality.