One Minute of Delay in a Stroke = Permanent Brain Damage: The Hardest Truth

In a stroke, with every passing minute, approximately 1.9 million neurons die. Every hour untreated, the brain ages the equivalent of 3.6 years. This is not a metaphor. It is the measured, documented biological reality of what stroke does to the brain — and it is why the phrase "time is brain" is the most important concept in all of stroke medicine.

Why Families in Hyderabad Wait — And Why They Must Not

In practice, families delay reaching hospital for several avoidable reasons:

1. "He'll be fine in a few minutes" — waiting for symptoms to improve on their own
2. "Let's take him to the nearest clinic first" — small clinics cannot administer tPA or perform thrombectomy
3. "It's late at night, let's wait till morning" — stroke is a 24-hour emergency
4. "He doesn't want to go" — the patient's own denial (sometimes due to the confusion caused by the stroke itself)
5. Not having a plan — not knowing which hospital to go to, not having the ambulance number saved

The Number to Call: 108

Save 108 in your phone right now. Tell the operator: "I think someone is having a stroke." Give your location. The ambulance is equipped with trained staff and takes you directly to a stroke-capable hospital, bypassing the steps that waste time.

What Happens at a Stroke Centre

Within the first 25 minutes of arrival: CT scan to determine if the stroke is ischaemic (clot) or haemorrhagic (bleed). Within 60 minutes: for ischaemic stroke within 4.5 hours of onset — tPA injection administered. This can dissolve the clot and restore blood flow — potentially reversing paralysis. For suitable patients within 24 hours: mechanical thrombectomy considered.

Pre-Hospital: What Families Should and Should NOT Do

Do: Note the exact time symptoms started. Keep the person calm and lying down. Call 108.

Do NOT: Give food, water, or medication. Try to "walk it off." Drive to a small clinic first. Wait to see if symptoms improve.

For stroke emergency — call 108. For post-stroke care and prevention: Sri Anand CNC, Chanda Nagar, Hyderabad. +91 90633 66983.