After 30 years of working with patients who have suffered a stroke, one clinician on the Sunshine Coast is on a mission to help improve spreading awareness of the condition, in the hope that it will continue to save lives.
A stroke is a medical incident where blood supply cannot get to your brain due to a blocked or a burst artery. It can happen to anyone, anytime, and is more common than you think.
Dr Rohan Grimley is a stroke physician at the internationally-recognised Sunshine Coast University Hospital and has spent over 30 years working in the field of stroke treatment, rehabilitation, and research.
“I work in the acute stroke unit and see people in the Emergency Department who have had a stroke or have symptoms of what appears to be a stroke,” Dr Grimley said.
“In short, a stroke is where there is a problem getting blood to the brain. You can also have a mini stroke which is a warning sign.”
In reality, there are two types of stroke. One is an ischaemic stroke where an artery in the brain is blocked by a clot, and the other is a haemorrhagic stroke, when the walls of a blood vessel in the brain breaks.
In the treatment after a stroke has occurred, time is of the essence. Minutes can make a lifetime of difference.
“The best acronym we use is F.A.S.T. from the Stroke Foundation which stands for Face – is it drooped? Arms – can’t be raised, is your Speech slurred or confused and T for time which is critical, call 000 immediately.”
If you are potentially having a stroke, getting treatment as soon as possible is crucial, but your chances of avoiding a stroke can be improved with a healthy lifestyle.
“A stroke can happen to anyone, but the older you get the more likely they are, but in saying that, young people can also have a stroke” Rohan said.
“That FAST response is again, crucial. For every minute you save in treating a stroke you can add weeks saved in rehabilitation and recovery.”
Having a stroke can change every aspect of your life, and most strokes are related to lifestyle choices. You are more susceptible to a stroke if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a high intake of alcohol, are overweight, smoke, or have diabetes.
Strokes are increasing amongst young people around the world, again due to lifestyle, which may include lack of activity, poor eating habits, blood pressure and smoking.
“Over the last 20 or 30 years the treatments for strokes have come a long way. Care in a stroke unit makes a big difference which is something we didn’t have previously, but around 80% of Queenslanders around the state can get into a stroke unit and we’ve seen death rates from strokes decrease over that same time.
“We work together in teams across Queensland Health, and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital also won an award this year for its work under the World Stroke Organisation’s Angels Award, recognising the care the hospital gave to patients who had experienced an ischaemic stroke.
“Our unit was recognised for more than half our patients being treated within 60 minutes, which is one of the best in the country and we are working hard to get that even lower.
“It was nice to see all the work we’ve put in over the last few years get recognised, and that’s the ambulance service, the radiology department, the stroke team, the emergency department, there’s so many people who contribute.”
Stroke awareness has come a long way in the last few years, and while Dr Grimley thinks it’s good that Queenslanders are aware of the signs, there’s still work to be done.
“We still see people who have had a stroke that didn’t think it was worth worrying about, but my advice is that if you think it is a stroke in any way, call the ambulance.
“The best way to avoid a stroke is like many ailments, live a healthy life, get your blood pressure tested, be active.
“I love the fact that I get paid to help people and work in such a great team,” Rohan said. “I’ve thought I could work somewhere else, but honestly why would I? Life in Queensland and on the Sunshine Coast is great.”
