Distinguishing between stroke and sudden death when seeing someone suddenly collapse.

When someone suddenly collapses, many people are often confused, unsure whether it's a stroke or sudden death. Correct identification in the first few minutes can determine the patient's chances of survival.

According to Dr. Tran Dang Truong, Department of Neurology, Thu Duc General Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City), stroke and sudden death are actually completely different in terms of mechanism, recognition, and initial treatment.

A 62-year-old male patient with hypertension suddenly experienced facial asymmetry, weakness in his right arm, and difficulty speaking. Upon examination at Thu Duc General Hospital, doctors determined this to be a typical case at risk of stroke; the patient was then closely monitored to prevent a sudden stroke.

Another case involves a 45-year-old male patient, HVT, who suddenly collapsed while playing sports . He stopped breathing and had no pulse. Upon arrival at the hospital, doctors diagnosed him with cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation (related to underlying coronary artery disease) – a sudden cardiovascular death.

Stroke is common in older adults, especially those with long-standing high blood pressure.

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"Stroke involves the brain, sudden death is primarily caused by the heart."

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked or ruptures, damaging an area of ​​the brain. According to Dr. Dang Truong, there are two main types of stroke:

• Cerebral infarction (approximately 85% of cases): Blood vessels are blocked by thrombi or blood clots from the heart or carotid artery that travel to the brain.
• Brain hemorrhage (approximately 15% of cases): Blood vessels rupture, causing blood to spill into the brain tissue, increasing intracranial pressure.

Meanwhile, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), sudden death is a condition of natural death that occurs very quickly, usually within 1 hour of the onset of symptoms. The main causes are related to cardiovascular issues:

• Malignant cardiac arrhythmias (ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia).
• Acute myocardial infarction.
• Sudden cardiac arrest.

“Stroke and sudden death differ in the organs affected and the manner of onset. Stroke involves the brain, occurring when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked or ruptures. Initially, the patient may still be conscious and has a chance of survival if treated promptly. Meanwhile, sudden death is mainly due to the heart, usually caused by cardiac arrest or severe arrhythmias. The patient usually loses consciousness immediately, and survival depends on timely cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR),” said Dr. Dang Truong.

What should you do first when you see someone collapse?

According to Doctor Truong, when someone suddenly collapses, the first thing to do is check their breathing and pulse.

If there is no breathing and no pulse, cardiac arrest/sudden death should be suspected immediately. Emergency services must be called and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed immediately. If the patient is still breathing and has a pulse, it is more likely related to a stroke or neurological cause.

To quickly identify a stroke, doctors suggest that people can rely on the American Stroke Association's (ASA) FAST rule:

• F (Face): Crooked mouth.
• A (Arm): Weakness or paralysis in one arm or leg.
• S (Speech): Difficulty speaking, slurred speech.
• T (Time): Remember the starting point.

If any of these signs appear, it should be considered a stroke and emergency services should be called immediately.

"In cases of suspected stroke, it is necessary to record the time of onset, place the patient in a safe side-lying position, withhold food and drink, and quickly transport them to a hospital capable of stroke intervention," emphasized Dr. Dang Truong.

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Stroke is common in older adults and those with long-standing hypertension.

According to Dr. Truong, stroke is most closely related to high blood pressure. Other contributing factors include diabetes, atrial fibrillation, atherosclerosis, and smoking. These factors damage blood vessels in the brain over time.

Meanwhile, sudden death is often associated with cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, heart failure, and cardiomyopathy. In young people, the cause may stem from congenital cardiac electrical abnormalities that previously had no apparent symptoms.

Dr. Truong added that strokes are common in older adults, especially those with long-standing hypertension. Sudden death can occur in adults with heart disease, but it can also happen in young people due to congenital heart rhythm disorders.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phan-biet-dot-quy-va-dot-tu-khi-thay-nguoi-bat-ngo-nga-guc-185260524215627204.htm