As a Pharm D student, I came across a male patient who is 41 years old presented with a sudden fall and weakness of the left upper limb and left lower limb.This patient has a family history where his mother has a history of diabetes mellitus.The patient has a history of alcohol consumption and tobacco use. Necessary investigations were and the patient was diagnosed with Ischemic stroke. A stroke occurs when no proper blood flow to the brain. Stroke is classified into two types and they are ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs when the blood flow in a blood vessel is blocked by a blood clot formed in the brain. Smoking and alcohol consumption are one of the risk factors of ischemic stroke to occur as they damage blood vessels, regulate the formation of atherosclerosis and promote clot formation.
After proper assessment, the patient was treated with statins, anti-platelets, anti-epileptic drugs. and also by monitoring for drug interactions and complications.
This case taught me that it is crucial to check for drug interactions, ensure medication safety and counsel patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle because ischemic stroke is a condition which requires careful patient centered management especially in elderly people with other health conditions.
What if the warning signs were already there could this life altering Ischemic Stroke have been prevented if risk factors were recognized and managed earlier?
MBH/AB