Dr. Jennifer Justice Manzano

Head, Asian Brain Institute

Asian Hospital and Medical Center

Back when I was in med school late 1990s, the chance of a person getting a stroke or brain attack in their lifetime was 1 in 8. When I was in neurology training, it became 1 in 6. Today, it’s 1 in 4. Which means if we are four in a room, the possibility of one of us having a stroke in our lifetime is high. This rising trend is attributable to our lifestyle — dependence on fast-food or opting for quick ways to cook (like frying), cigarette smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and even the amount of sweets we consume.

Stroke happens when blood is unable to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the brain. There’s either a blockage (ischemic) or bleeding (hemorrhagic). Think of a pipe that’s either clogged or has burst.  Without the nutrients and oxygen, the brain gets damaged or, worse, dies. 

Those with chronic conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and sickle cell disease have increased risk of having a stroke. Lifestyle change and chronic disease management can help decrease the chance of a brain attack.

If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, it is important to follow the doctor-advised lifestyle changes and religiously take your medication. Monitoring your numbers (BP, Glucose, Lipid) is also crucial as well as regular visits to your doctor. When it comes to diet, avoiding food high in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, and sugar should be a priority. Of course, regular exercise of at least 30 minutes a day and avoiding smoking and too much alcohol are also beneficial. 

While we try to commit to these lifestyle changes, when the eventuality of a stroke happens wherever we are, it is important to be armed with preparedness. Time is a crucial element in the prognosis, making every minute count. If you suspect someone is having a stroke, you have to BE FAST.

Balance: Check if the person is unstable when walking, if the person walks like a tiny crab (i.e. sideways) or a drunk (while not actually drunk).

Eyes: Inspect if one of the eyes is unable to see or if the person is having double vision or the eyes move differently.

Face: Ask the person to smile to check if one side is drooping.

Arms: Ask the person to lift their arms in front, to see if one arm will involuntarily fall. 

Speech: Talk to the person to observe if their speech is slurring, are unable to understand you, or talking nonsense. 

Time: These symptoms happen suddenly. One symptom is enough to warrant bringing the person to the nearest stroke-ready hospital accredited by the Stroke Society of the Philippines and the Department of Health. Remember to go to the emergency room and not to a doctor’s clinic.

If you happen to live in the South of Manila, the Asian Hospital Medical Center is a certified stroke-ready hospital. We are one of the few in the country who can give the gold standard therapy for acute stroke.  Apart from state-of-the-art facilities and technologies, our dedicated stroke team is composed of specialists which include neurologists, emergency physicians, radiologists, nurses, and rehabilitation experts, working together to provide comprehensive care to patients. We follow a structured protocol and guideline in implementing interventions to ensure timely and appropriate treatment. 

The Asian Brain Institute of the Asian Hospital Medical Center provides neuro-interventional procedures (e.g. clot retrieval and coiling and stenting for aneurysm and vascular malformation) as well as neurosurgery (e.g. decompressive hemicraniectomy and minimally invasive clot retrieval) for acute stroke. If you’d like to learn more and prepare for stroke-related emergencies and treatment, get in touch with us at the Asian Brain Institute. You can call (02) 8771 9000 local 8444.