Lucknow, Dec. 22 -- Timely medical intervention can significantly reduce brain damage in stroke patients, provided they reach the hospital within four to five hours of the onset of symptoms, experts at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) have said. The Emergency Department at SGPGIMS has set up a state-of-the-art Stroke Unit that initiates treatment immediately upon a patient's arrival. A dedicated team of neurologists and interventional radiologists remains on round-the-clock duty, ensuring rapid diagnosis and intervention. The information was shared by Prof Vivek Kumar Singh, Interventional Radiologist at SGPGIMS. Prof Singh was speaking at a Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme on "Current guidelines on stroke treatment and carotid stenting", organised by the ISVIR UP Chapter. He highlighted that in cases of acute ischemic stroke, treatments such as thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy play a crucial role in restoring blood flow to the brain. "If treatment begins on time, the risk of severe and permanent disability can be substantially reduced," he said. Experts at the programme stressed strict adherence to internationally recommended "door-to-needle" and "door-to-groin" timelines, noting that faster restoration of cerebral blood flow leads to better patient outcomes. The CME saw participation from leading specialists, including Dr Vinita Elizabeth and Dr Suryakant from SGPGIMS, Dr Praveen Sharma from KGMU, Dr Gaurav from Medanta, Dr Ritwij from Chandan Hospital and Dr Somanath Pan from Command Hospital, who shared their clinical experiences in stroke management. A dedicated session on carotid stenting focused on patient selection, risk assessment and evolving dual antiplatelet therapy strategies, reflecting recent advances in stroke prevention and intervention. Concluding the programme, CME chairperson Dr Vivek Singh (SGPGIMS) and secretary Dr Nitin Arun Dixit (KGMU) expressed gratitude to the speakers and participants, underlining the importance of continuous medical education in improving stroke care and patient survival....