Police Officer Recognizes Early Signs of Brain Hemorrhage
"Received Thanks from the Elderly Patient"
A police officer noticed an elderly person's unnatural walking and identified it as a sign of a cerebral hemorrhage, providing assistance in a story that has attracted attention.
On the 9th, the official YouTube channel of the National Police Agency uploaded a video titled "An elderly person with an unusual gait, could this be it?" According to the released video, a traffic accident occurred recently on a road in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, due to a 60-year-old Mr. A driving in the wrong direction. The breathalyzer test showed that Mr. A was not under the influence of alcohol.
However, the police suspected drug use considering Mr. A's slurred speech and the discovery of multiple medications in the car. The police transferred Mr. A to the Tanhyeon Police Substation of Paju Police Station for further investigation.
Mr. A, suspected of having early symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage. [Image source=Official YouTube of the National Police Agency]
After arriving at the substation, with Mr. A's consent, a simple drug test was conducted, but no drug substances were detected. The medications Mr. A possessed were confirmed to be blood pressure medicine.
The police planned to send Mr. A home after clearing suspicions of alcohol or drug use. However, Sergeant Lee Bong-jun, who was at the substation at the time, carefully observed Mr. A and noticed his abnormal gait.
Sergeant Lee then asked Mr. A, "Would you like to try walking?" Mr. A showed a limping gait and was unable to walk straight. Suspecting signs of cerebral hemorrhage, Sergeant Lee called 119 and explained Mr. A's symptoms to the arriving paramedics.
Sergeant Lee explained, "During my detective days at the National Forensic Service, I heard that if there are symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage, blood accumulates in the brain causing the eyes to bulge forward." He added, "I felt that Mr. A's eyes were slightly protruding, and when I asked him to walk straight, his body leaned to one side. So, I reported it to 119."
Mr. A was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with cerebral hemorrhage. Thanks to early detection, he recovered his health after hospitalization and treatment. Sergeant Lee said, "(The doctor) told me that the police officer saved a life," and added, "I received words of gratitude from the elderly person and his family."
Meanwhile, strokes include 'cerebral infarction,' caused by a blockage in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain, and 'cerebral hemorrhage,' caused by bleeding due to a burst blood vessel in the brain. Missing the appropriate treatment window for such strokes can lead to death or severe disabilities due to brain damage, so early detection and treatment are crucial.
Signs of a stroke include ▲hemiplegia ▲sensory abnormalities ▲severe headache ▲vision loss ▲slurred or unclear speech, and in such cases, immediate hospital visit is necessary. The golden time for stroke treatment is generally considered to be about 3 to 4 hours. However, since time is needed for examinations after hospital arrival, reaching the hospital within 1 hour is even more important.
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