7 things to do when giving first aid to someone with a stroke

According to specialist doctor II Nguyen Tien Dung - Stroke Center - Bach Mai Hospital, stroke is one of the leading causes of death and is also the main cause of disability in adults. Stroke causes a huge burden on families and society.

We can completely prevent, reduce the risk of stroke and treat patients successfully. Most importantly, it is necessary to recognize the early signs of stroke and take the patient as quickly as possible to medical facilities specializing in stroke.

Things to do when giving first aid to someone with a stroke

What should be done when providing first aid to a stroke patient in the community? Doctor Nguyen Tien Dung said that the most important thing when detecting signs of a stroke is to act as quickly as possible to get to the hospital in time for the golden hour. Here are the things to do immediately:

- Call an ambulance immediately: Calling 115 is the smartest choice.

- Notify 115 emergency services of patients with "stroke": 115 emergency staff will prepare appropriate medical equipment and choose a hospital specializing in stroke treatment as the destination.

- Place the patient in a safe position: lying on one side with the head elevated. To keep the patient comfortable, loosen their clothing. This position helps increase blood flow to the brain.

- Monitor symptoms and ask the patient: Ask about all the medications the patient is taking. You need to record information: time of stroke, patient's medical history such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes... and you will provide it to the medical staff later.

- Do not give the patient any medicine. There are two types of stroke: cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction. Therefore, if you do not know what type of stroke your loved one has, absolutely do not give them any medicine without clear recommendations or just word of mouth.

- Do not give the patient anything to eat or drink: Stroke patients are often unconscious and may have swallowing disorders. This can lead to choking, causing respiratory failure and pneumonia, even death.

- Do not let the patient drive themselves to the hospital: Stroke symptoms are difficult to recognize at first, and can worsen in the first hours. If you suspect the patient is having a stroke, absolutely do not let the patient drive themselves to the hospital, but call 115 and wait for help.

Stroke - one mistake, unpredictable consequences

Dr. Nguyen Tien Dung said that in a stroke, time is brain, the more time is lost, the more brain cells are lost. Specifically, every minute that passes, we lose more than 1.9 million neurons and 13.8 billion nerve synapses. The sooner the patient arrives, the higher the chance of recovery.

If treated within 90 minutes of onset, approximately 1 in 3 people who receive reperfusion therapy will return to a completely normal life. For every 15 minutes saved, the patient's chance of living independently increases by 4%. Therefore, we must not waste time, we must urgently take the patient to a medical facility for stroke treatment, the longer we waste, the greater the risk of death for our loved ones.

“Today, technology is developing strongly, so everyone needs to equip themselves with basic knowledge about health. However, we should distinguish and acquire the right knowledge. In the process of treating patients, doctors have encountered many cases where relatives misunderstood how to give first aid to stroke patients, causing regrets for their own relatives," said Dr. Dung.

Harmful misunderstandings in stroke

- The patient needs to lie still in bed and will recover on his own.

- Prick and squeeze blood from fingertips and toes

- Cut and squeeze out earwax on both sides

- Apply lime under the soles of both feet…

The above actions cause unnecessary time loss, delay in taking the patient to a medical facility, and reduce the patient's chance of recovery. The act of incision and blood squeezing is extremely dangerous. If the patient with acute cerebral infarction arrives at the hospital during the golden hour, he or she will be treated with thrombolytic drugs to reperfuse the blood, which will cause difficult-to-stop bleeding, causing harm to the patient.

According to VTC