What is Mini Stroke? Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath talks about stress, dehydration and more

Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath suffered a “mild stroke” last month. In a post that Kamath shared earlier this week, he said that he suffered a mild stroke six weeks ago.

“Dad passing away, poor sleep, exhaustion, dehydration, and overworking out -any of these could be possible reasons,” Kamath said.

According to By Dr. Shobha N, Consultant – Neurologist & Stroke Physician, Manipal Hospital Malleshwaram, a stroke is the result of numerous risk factors going wrong, the most underestimated of which is stress.

Mini strokes, also known as Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs), are warning signs of potential strokes. They result from brief stoppage of blood supply to a part of the brain, spinal cord or retina. While they may not cause permanent damage, they are critical indicators of underlying issues that require immediate attention. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of a mini-stroke can be life-altering.

The symptoms of a mini stroke can be remembered with mnemonic BE FAST. The letters stand for the following clinical features.

• Balance: Some individuals may experience dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination difficulties during a TIA.

• Eye: Blurred or double vision, or sudden vision loss in one or both eyes, may occur temporarily.

• Face: Drooping of one side of the face.

• Arm: Weakness of an arm or a leg.

• Speech: Speech problems, such as slurred speech or difficulty understanding others, can occur during a TIA.

• Time: When any of these symptoms have occurred suddenly time is precious and one needs to rush the patient to the nearest possible hospital.

The symptoms of a mini-stroke last only for a few minutes typically. Very occasionally, they can last up to several hours. The risk of a full-fledged stroke is high within the next 48 hours. Around 17 % of patients with TIAs end up with a stroke over the following 90 days.