21-year-old Dubai visitor suffers stroke while having lunch

Pranva with his mother, Dr. Chandran and Dr. Mukherjee.

Pranva Prasad, a 21-year-old who came to Dubai to be with his parents over the holidays, was just having lunch when he suddenly experienced a bout of severe hiccups and collapsed on the floor. He suffered a stroke.
His parents noticed that he was neither able to speak nor move the right side of his body. Realising that he could be having a stroke, they rushed him to the hospital.
Dr Shyam Babu Chandran, the consultant neurologist of Zulekha Hospital who confirmed Prasad's condition, said: "It is extremely important that if you think someone is having a stroke, to take them to a hospital immediately as this reduces the risk of permanent damage to the brain."
It took Prasad one and a half hours to get to the hospital after he experienced the symptoms. After a brain scan has confirmed he had a large blockage on the left side of his brain, he immediately underwent a two-and-a-half-hour procedure and a neuro-intervention in Cath lab was performed in 40 minutes to clear the clot.
With the prompt medical attention he had received, Prasad fully recovered and was able to go back to his routine in no time.
Although strokes are most common in people over the age of 65, Prasad is one of the growing numbers of young people who had suffered an attack.
"There is no known cause as of now to why the patient suffered a stroke at such a young age (investigations ongoing) but not getting enough sleep and living a sedentary lifestyle all contribute to the issue, and could be easily preventable through healthier lifestyle choices," said Dr Chandran.
In India and in the UAE the average age of stroke patients is much younger than the rest of the world. Recent findings suggest that nearly 50 per cent of the patients in the UAE are less 45 years old due to factors such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, uncontrolled diabetes, high levels of obesity, smoking and high cholesterol.
An ischemic stroke is a reduction of blood supply caused by a blockage in the brain. Rapid treatment, within a few hours of the first symptom is crucial. Stroke symptoms include speech difficulty, a spinning sensation, confusion, numbness, or paralysis on one side of the face or body.
Prasad said: "I have realised how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and the right sleep patterns. I am grateful to my doctors for having saved my life. It has been a positive life-changing experience for the family."
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com