Stroke causes, importance of BEFAST warning symptoms, and the golden period that can save a patient

Stroke isn’t a heart attack, says Dr Kunal Bahrani, neurologist at Fortis Faridabad, adding, “it is more like a brain attack”.

Nithin Kamath, co-founder and CEO of online stock trading platform Zerodha, recently revealed that he suffered a mild stroke six weeks ago. The billionaire entrepreneur posted on social platform X, “Dad passing away, poor sleep, exhaustion, dehydration, and overworking out —any of these could be possible reasons. I've gone from having a big droop in the face and not being able to read or write to having a slight droop but being able to read and write more. From being absent-minded to more present-minded.” As per his post, it will take him three to six months to completely recover.

Kamath is known for being a fitness enthusiast and advocate. Since he’s merely 44 years old, his post has triggered a wave of concern and cautionary advice from doctors across the country upon what exactly is contributing to strokes in young, fit people? Dr. Kunal Bahrani, neurologist at Fortis Faridabad, says that “Every minute, three people suffer from a stroke in India. In a day, 3,000-4000 people face a stroke, out of which, 15% to 20% are young. Every hour, 15 people die in our country. These figures are astonishing.”

What is BEFAST?

Stroke isn’t a heart attack, Bahrani says, adding, “it is more like a brain attack”. It is a neurological condition where the arteries get blocked and stop supplying oxygen to brain cells. Talking about warning symptoms, Bahrani requests everybody to pay attention to BEFAST—where ‘B’ stands for balance disorder, ‘E’ for eye problem, ‘F’ facial changes, ‘A’ for arms being unresponsive, ‘S’ for speech getting impaired, and ‘T’ for the need for timely action. He suggests not wasting time in talking to a regular doctor, and immediately rushing to a ‘stroke-ready hospital’ with the availability of CT scan and MRI, and a 24x7 neurologist.

Watch the full interview with Dr Kunal Bahrani

How to prevent a stroke?

“Initial 4.5 hours is the golden period,” says Bahrani, “for that is the time slot when you can turn the situation around by giving clot-dissolving medicine to the patient and saving their life.” Now, the main question arises, how can one prevent or reduce the chances of a stroke? Bahrani suggests focussing on the four pillars of health—good eating habits, daily physical activity, adequate sleep, and good mental health. Additionally, keeping your blood pressure in the normal range, quitting smoking, moderating alcohol consumption, controlling your blood sugar and cholesterol levels, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting treatment for any cardiovascular diseases can help reduce the risk of a stroke.