On 8/7, a representative from Phu Tho General Hospital reported that the day before, a 70-year-old patient suddenly developed weakness on her left side, difficulty walking, and speech difficulties. Instead of seeking emergency care, her family bought medication for her to take at home, but her condition did not improve. The next day, as her paralysis worsened, her family finally transferred her to the hospital's Stroke Center.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed the patient had an acute right hemispheric cerebral infarction due to occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery. Due to delayed admission, which surpassed the initial "golden hour" for intervention, doctors could not apply optimal revascularization procedures. Instead, they had to resort to medical treatment, blood pressure control, and intensive care.
The patient now faces a high risk of severe sequelae, including motor paralysis and swallowing disorders requiring tube feeding. These conditions necessitate a long-term and costly rehabilitation process.
Doctor Luu Van Thin, from the Department of Emergency and Intensive Care Neurology - Stroke, explained that the "golden hour" for saving brain cells is within the first 4,5 hours for thrombolytic drugs and within the first 6 hours for mechanical thrombectomy (though some special cases may extend to 24 hours).
Transporting patients to a medical facility immediately upon the appearance of symptoms such as facial drooping, limb weakness, or speech difficulty directly determines their chances of survival and limits long-term disability.
Stroke, or brain attack, primarily comprises two types: ischemic stroke, caused by blocked blood vessels (accounting for 80% of cases), and hemorrhagic stroke, resulting from ruptured blood vessels (20% of cases). The condition typically manifests suddenly with focal neurological symptoms such as one-sided weakness, facial drooping, slurred speech, loss of balance, or coma.
For prevention, individuals should effectively manage underlying conditions like hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes through regular health check-ups and adherence to medical treatment protocols.
Thuy Quynh
