Treating stroke is a race against time: the “golden hours” for treating stroke is within 3 hours from symptom onset. Speed and precision are indispensable from diagnosis to rehabilitation.  The permanent damage due to the brain hypoxia can be avoided if this “bomb” inside the body can be removed.

The first step to find the right antidote is to understand the disease thoroughly. Currently, apart from some of the public hospitals, several private hospitals also offer 24-hour emergency stroke treatment. Take acute ischaemic stroke as an example, after preliminary diagnosis, the outpatient doctor will immediately arrange for a checkup — such as an electrocardiogram (ECG), computed tomography (CT) scan, and blood test — to precisely identify the location and the affected areas of the brain. Within 30 minutes a set of tests are completed, the test results can help doctors quickly decide on the most appropriate personalized treatment.

Every minute of the treatment counts, a neurology specialist will be standing by. As an illustration, if the diagnosis of ischaemic stroke is confirmed, patients can then be treated with thrombolytics to dissolve blood clots that block blood vessels, allowing for a resumption of normal blood circulation and preventing further damage to brain cells. During treatment patients may be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for close surveillance

Stroke treatment should be prompt and, more importantly need to be comprehensive with different therapies. The subsequent physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy are also very crucial. Therefore, patients are recommended to make the most of the golden rehabilitation time (3-12 months after stroke onset) by receiving appropriate therapy, which can assist them in regaining their level of speech and mobility, and help get their lives back on track.

To raise public awareness of stroke treatment, AXA worked with the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital to produce a video based on a true case. The video was shot at the hospital and showcases the real-life emergency stoke treatment. It tells the story of a successful middle-aged lawyer who lost his balance and fell to the ground, and began to suffer from slurred speech. He was then admitted to hospital for emergency treatment, and was diagnosed with ischaemic stroke. During treatment and recovery process, medical professionals from cross-department of the hospital joined hands to provide the best and timely treatment to the patients.

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