Dubai: 44, 33, 27 — These are shockingly young ages of some patients who survived strokes in the UAE in the past one year. And enough reason for many to sit up and act, say doctors and survivors on the occasion of the World Stroke Day on October 29.
In the UAE, 10,000 to 12,000 cases of stroke are reported annually and it is estimated that one person is suffering from stroke every hour in the country, according to available statistics.
About 50 per cent of all stroke patients in the UAE are under the age of 45, compared with the global average of 80 per cent being 65 or older. So, the chances are that even though you are young, you could be at risk.
Take the case of Mohammed Salim, 44, an entrepreneur in Dubai, who recently suffered a stroke. A UAE resident since 2015, Salim worked hard to set up a successful business, but neglected how it was affecting his health.
Ignored medicines, symptoms
Hypertensive for years, he often forgot to take medicines and followed a sedentary lifestyle. But all these were taking a toll on his health.
On September 29, Salim woke up from sleep as usual. Suddenly, he went off balance. “I could not balance my body properly. I found that my left side was weak. My left leg felt heavy that I could not move it properly. It was the same case with my left hand,” he said.
Despite these severe symptoms, Salim ignored it as a muscular issue. But as the day progressed, his symptoms aggravated. He managed the day taking rest at his residence and did not consult a doctor.
The next day, Salim was feeling so uneasy that his wife took him to Aster Clinic at Discovery Gardens. They consulted Dr. Vishal Pawar, specialist neurologist, who suspected it to be a case of stroke and ordered a detailed investigation.
By the time Salim reached the hospital, 50 per cent of his left side had gone weak. It is a miracle that he pushed a day with these severe symptoms. The test result revealed that he had an ischemic stroke caused by blood clots in the brain. We managed to stabilise him and treat his case medically before leading to a brain haemorrhage,” said Dr. Pawar.
‘I paid the price’
Salim is happy and relieved that he could return to a normal life after recovery by bringing his blood pressure levels under control and undergoing physiotherapy.
He now understands how crucial it is to take care of one’s health and follow a healthy lifestyle. “My experience is my message to people. I had been diagnosed with hypertension years back and had to take medicines to keep it under control. But I could not properly take care of my body due to my busy life. And in the end, I paid the price. Even a week before I suffered a stroke, my body manifested several symptoms. I was feeling very weak, drowsy, and tired. All these were warning signs that my body indicated. But I neglected all these. But gratefully, I could get back to a normal life with medication and proper treatment. I urge all people to take care of their health and prioritise one’s health before everything,” said Salim.
Dr Pawar highlighted the need to follow a healthy lifestyle and to take prescribed medicines for chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes to prevent stroke.
Work stress, sedentary lifestyle
Another young patient is Abu Dhabi resident Anoop Sudarshan Panicker, 33. When he was admitted to LLH Hospital, Musaffah, due to acute weakness in his right side and slurring, “nobody believed a 33-year-old man could have a stroke” said Dr Jessline Joseph, consultant neurosurgeon, who treated Panicker.
An emergency scan revealed a large stroke in the cerebellum, as well as involvement of the brainstem. “He had developed a large vessel stroke … nearly half of the brain was involved.” Panicker’s blood pressure and cholesterol levels were also extremely high.
A laundry supervisor, Panicker said he had tremendous work pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic when his colleagues were stuck back home. “I was not into exercising and I used to get food from a mess or from restaurants. I did not have the habit of going for check-ups also,” he said.
Dr Joseph said overwork, stress, sedentary lifestyle and eating unhealthy food had led to him getting a stroke at such a young age. High levels of cholesterol and blood pressure that went untreated were high risk factors. Panicker was treated successfully with medication and lifestyle modification and his health has improved since then.
The doctor said Panicker has no residual deficits. Weakness, paralysis, and problems with balance or coordination, pain, numbness, or burning and tingling sensations are among the long-term effects of stroke.
Panicker said he continues the same job, but with less stress. “All my colleagues came back on duty and I only have the issue of working in shifts. I started cooking and I am following a healthy diet. But, I should focus more on exercise during my shift work,” he said, urging others to follow a healthy lifestyle and do regular health checks.
Panicker said he continues the same job, but with less stress. “All my colleagues came back on duty and I only have the issue of working in shifts. I started cooking and I am following a healthy diet. But, I should focus more on exercise during my shift work,” he said, urging others to follow a healthy lifestyle and do regular health checks.
Rare case
Earlier this year, a 27-year-old expat was repatriated to Pakistan after he suffered a massive stroke which had affected the left side of his brain and had caused bleeding.
It was one of the rarest cases that was treated by Dr Chelladurai Hariharan, specialist neurosurgeon at Aster Hospital, Al Qusais.
The patient Nadeem Khan’s life was saved following a rare surgery in which part of his skull had to be removed to ease pressure on the brain, and stored in his stomach. Khan had collapsed in the washroom and suffered seizures. When he was rushed to the hospital, he was diagnosed with hypotension (low blood pressure), tachycardia (faster heart rate), and tachypnea (rapid breathing).
“Apart from damage to the brain, he had pulmonary embolism — blood-clotting in his lung — as well. We rectified the damage to the brain first and then treated him for pulmonary embolism for a long time,” said Dr Hariharan. Though the surgery saved his life, Khan had become paralysed on the right side. He required longtime treatment before being repatriated with a portion of his skull inside his stomach.
“Apart from damage to the brain, he had pulmonary embolism — blood-clotting in his lung — as well. We rectified the damage to the brain first and then treated him for pulmonary embolism for a long time,” said Dr Hariharan. Though the surgery saved his life, Khan had become paralysed on the right side. He required longtime treatment before being repatriated with a portion of his skull inside his stomach.
“Since the skull cannot be outside for long, there was no other option than to preserve it inside his abdomen, so that it can be re-affixed to his head when his condition improves,” Dr Hariharan recalled.
He said Khan had reportedly complained of weakness in his lower limbs some days back. “Neglecting such signs is very dangerous,” he warned.
Serious complications from strokes can be avoided if treated within the golden hour, Dr Hariharan added.
