Tangtang, a 24-year-old influencer, fainted mid-live.

Tangtang, a 24-year-old influencer, experienced a fainting episode during a live broadcast and was rushed to the hospital for a diagnosis, where she was found to have an Ischemic Stroke. This resulted in numbness on the left side, weakness, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, and communication abnormalities because the lesion occurred in the left Thalamus, also affecting Wernicke’s Area, which is involved in language comprehension. Dr. Pracha summarized the medical knowledge as follows:

1. Meaning and Causes

Stroke, also known as paresis or paralysis, is caused by abnormalities in cerebral blood circulation, resulting in a lack of oxygen and nutrients in certain parts of the brain, which leads to nerve cell destruction. The main causes can be divided into 2 categories, including:

1. Ischemic Stroke often arises from the degeneration of major arteries, such as carotid arteries or cerebral arteries.

2. Hemorrhagic Stroke is commonly related to hypertension or vascular wall abnormalities.

For the age group under 40 years, although the chance of developing the disease is low, it can still be found, particularly due to vasculitis (blood vessel inflammation).

2. Key Symptoms and Diagnosis

In Tangtang's case, the patient presented symptoms consistent with a stroke, including:

• Numbness and weakness on the right side of the body

• Slurred speech and difficulty swallowing

• Impaired language comprehension

Brain imaging from CT Scan and MRI confirmed ischemia in the Thalamus region of the brain, which impacts bodily functions on the opposite side.

3. Warning Signs and Prevention Guidelines

The conversation emphasized the importance of recognizing the warning signs of a stroke using the principle of

• B E F A S T

  • B (Balance): Dizziness, loss of balance

  • E (Eye): Sudden blindness or double vision

  • F (Face): Facial drooping, crooked smile

  • A (Arm): Sudden arm or leg weakness

  • S (Speech): Slurred speech, inability to speak

  • T (Time): Must be rushed to the hospital immediately

• H E B F A S T (A new and more comprehensive framework)

  • H (Headache): Sudden severe headache

  • E (Eye): Abnormal vision

  • B (Balance): Dizziness, loss of balance

  • Followed by F, A, S, T exactly as mentioned above

4. Risk Factors and Prevention

Stroke is not an accidental illness, but is closely related to daily behaviors and risk factors, such as:

• Hypertension (High blood pressure)

• Diabetes

• Hyperlipidemia (High blood lipid levels)

• Lack of exercise

• Failure to take medication as prescribed by a physician

Controlling these factors, along with monitoring warning signs, will help reduce the chances of developing the disease and its complications.

Dr. Pracha's Summary

The case study of Tangtang the influencer is a clear example that Stroke can occur in young people and is not restricted solely to the elderly. Therefore, society should be aware of the importance of health care, checking risk factors, and recognizing warning signs to receive timely treatment, because “time” is a crucial factor in reducing the severity and long-term impacts of stroke.

Wishing everyone good health, safe from Stroke and cerebrovascular diseases. Goodbye. :)