Doctors Stress ‘Time Is Brain’ in Stroke Care

HYDERABAD: A comprehensive stroke policy, similar to trauma care, is the need of the hour to tackle increasing brain strokes in youngsters, senior health officials and doctors said ahead of World Brain Day. Foreign countries follow the theme “Time is Brain” and give priority to stroke patients, which reduces deaths.

India is witnessing a worrying rise in neurological disorders, with doctors warning that younger adults are increasingly suffering strokes but many reach hospitals too late, missing the crucial treatment window that could prevent permanent disability.

The World Brain Day is observed this year with the theme ‘Brain Health: Access for All’.

“Awareness can be improved by strengthening infrastructure and establishing centres like trauma units with a comprehensive stroke policy. Within six hours we can save youngsters’ lives and reduce the family burden. These centres can perform angiography, clot retrieval and blood flow restoration, preventing disability,” said a senior neurosurgeon from the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (Nims).

According to the World Health Organisation, neurological disorders affect more than 3.4 billion people worldwide and cause over 1.1 crore deaths annually.

Doctors said India alone records nearly 11.25 lakh new stroke cases every year, driven by hypertension, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use, stress, poor sleep and sedentary lifestyles. They noted that strokes, once considered a disease of the elderly, are increasingly affecting younger Indians.

“The biggest challenge is delayed recognition of symptoms. We are seeing more young patients with stroke, but many ignore warning signs such as sudden weakness, numbness, slurred speech, dizziness, seizures or vision problems, assuming they are due to stress or fatigue,” said Dr S.K. Jaiswal, senior neurologist.

Neurosurgeon Dr Mohammed Imran said nearly 11.9 lakh brain cells are lost every minute during an untreated stroke. “The first 4.5 hours are the golden window when treatments such as clot‑busting drugs and mechanical thrombectomy can prevent lifelong disability. Reaching a stroke‑ready hospital early can make the difference between complete recovery and permanent disability,” he said.

Doctors said advances such as high‑resolution MRI, neuronavigation, minimally invasive brain surgery and robotic‑assisted procedures have significantly improved outcomes for stroke.

Dr Savitr Sastri B.V., consultant neurosurgeon, said brain health should be treated as a basic healthcare right rather than a privilege. While cities have witnessed rapid advances in neurological care, access remains uneven and many patients from smaller towns reach specialised centres after critical treatment windows have passed.

Doctors urged the public to remember the FAST warning signs of stroke — Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty and Time to reach hospital immediately.