Warning signs of stroke in young people.

The patient, a 31-year-old male with no prior health issues, suffered a stroke. He collapsed suddenly in the company parking lot while on his way to work that morning. He was admitted to the Emergency Department in a drowsy state with complete left-sided hemiplegia.

At Nghe An Friendship General Hospital, the patient was examined, consulted, and diagnosed with acute cerebral infarction in the first hour due to occlusion of the right internal carotid-middle cerebral artery and dissection of the right internal carotid artery at its origin (starting from the origin of the internal carotid artery).

The patient was immediately scheduled for treatment using mechanical thrombectomy and placement of a common carotid artery stent. The procedure, lasting approximately 30 minutes, resulted in complete recanalization (TICI3).

Immediately after the intervention, the patient was awake and had fairly good movement in the left side of their body. After 5 days of treatment, the patient was fully alert, the paralysis was completely resolved, and they were discharged from the hospital to return home and resume their daily activities.

According to doctors, strokes in young people account for about 15% of all stroke cases. This number is increasing. However, many young people currently do not pay enough attention to prevention. In particular, they are unaware of the signs of stroke in young people, which would allow for timely emergency care and effective treatment.

Younger-onset stroke refers to strokes in individuals under 45 years of age, including both hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes (previously, strokes were typically seen in people over 65).

In Vietnam, according to the Ministry of Health, the proportion of stroke patients among young and middle-aged people accounts for nearly 40%. According to statistics from the WSO (World Stroke Organization) in 2022: Each year, more than 16% of stroke victims are between the ages of 15 and 49 (out of a total of 12.2 million new stroke cases annually), and approximately 6.5 million people die from stroke, with young people accounting for about 6% of these deaths.

Dr. Le Quang Toan – Director of the Stroke Center, Nghe An Friendship General Hospital, said: “Patients often have no prior underlying medical conditions and suddenly experience symptoms such as: facial asymmetry, weakness in one arm and leg, difficulty speaking, difficulty pronouncing words, difficulty expressing themselves, altered or decreased consciousness, sudden severe headache, balance disorders, sudden blurred vision or loss of vision in a region… When these symptoms are detected, immediately take the patient to the nearest medical facility capable of providing specific treatment as soon as possible without waiting at home.”

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Huong – Director of Nghe An Friendship General Hospital: Currently, at the Stroke Center of Nghe An Friendship General Hospital, DSA-guided vascular intervention techniques have been routinely applied to treat stroke patients. Many patients with ischemic stroke have been saved and have regained function thanks to this technique.

Cerebral artery thrombectomy is indicated for patients with ischemic stroke who arrive at the hospital within the first 6 hours of the illness. Therefore, if you detect signs of a stroke, take the patient to the hospital as soon as possible.

The Stroke Center at Nghe An Friendship General Hospital boasts a team of highly qualified and specialized doctors with 10 years of experience in cerebral angiography and intervention, having successfully performed thousands of procedures and received numerous awards both domestically and internationally.