Effective blood pressure control can potentially reduce the risk of stroke by nearly 50%, experts from the Indian Stroke Association said. They emphasize the need to educate the public about the importance of regular blood pressure monitoring for those aged 18 and over.
They were speaking at a health program titled ‘Brain Stroke: Time to Act’, organized by the Indian Stroke Association (ISA), in association with the Department of Neurology, AIIMS, Mangalagiri, on Sunday (November 9, 2025).
The program, which aims to increase stroke awareness, diagnosis and management, brought together physicians, emergency medicine specialists, neurology residents and internal medicine trainees from across the country. Indian Stroke Association President P. Vijaya attended as the chief guest.
More than 300 delegates attended interactive sessions that focused on early recognition, early intervention and multidisciplinary approaches to reduce stroke-related disability and mortality.
Members of the association urged the public to remember the acronym BEFAST for stroke symptom identification, which stands for B – Balance: sudden loss of balance or coordination; E – Eyes: sudden vision problems in one or both eyes; F – Face: droopy face or uneven smile; A – Arms: weakness or numbness in one arm; S – Speech: slurred or incoherent speech; T – Time: time to act fast and rush to the hospital ready for a stroke.
The event concluded by emphasizing the importance of community education and early intervention, reminding everyone that stroke is both preventable and treatable, but only if it is recognized early and responded to without delay.
Published – 9 Nov 2025 23:13 IST
