Health · Medical Research · 2 hrs ago
Neurologist explains how stroke can affect seemingly healthy people
People who seem healthy can still have a stroke because some risk factors cause no obvious symptoms.
Neurologist Dr Ritu Jha says high blood pressure can quietly damage blood vessels, while high cholesterol and diabetes may also go unnoticed.
Heart rhythm problems and inherited conditions can also raise risk by causing clots or affecting blood vessels.
Stroke can affect young adults as well as older people, and sometimes tests do not reveal a clear cause.
Jha recommends regular checks of blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, and discussing family history with a doctor.
Sudden speech trouble, facial drooping, one-sided weakness or vision loss need immediate medical attention, even if they pass, because they may signal a mini-stroke before a more serious one.
Neurologist Dr Ritu Jha says stroke can affect people who appear healthy because some risk factors may remain unnoticed for years.
She identifies high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, some heart conditions and blood-clotting or blood-vessel abnormalities as possible risks.
Jha says young adults can also have strokes, and sometimes the cause remains unknown even after medical tests.
She recommends checking blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, and discussing family history with a doctor.
Sudden trouble speaking, facial drooping, one-sided weakness or numbness, or vision loss needs immediate medical attention.
- Who
- Neurologist Dr Ritu Jha, speaking about people who may experience stroke, including those who seem healthy.
- What
- Jha explains that stroke can occur without obvious warning signs or known illness. She describes silent risk factors and symptoms that need urgent attention.
- When
- The article was published on October 29, 2026, and says Jha spoke on World Stroke Day, observed annually on October 29.
- Where
- Jha spoke to HT Lifestyle. She is director and head of neurology at Sarvodaya Hospital in Sector 8, Faridabad.
- Why
- Some stroke risks can remain unnoticed for years, and the cause of a stroke can sometimes remain unknown after medical tests.
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- World Stroke Day
- Observed annually on October 29
- Neurologist
- Dr Ritu Jha
- Hospital
- Sarvodaya Hospital, Sector 8, Faridabad
- Possible symptoms
- Sudden speaking difficulty, facial drooping, one-sided weakness or numbness, or sudden vision loss
- Published
- October 29, 2026
What people are saying
The truth is that a stroke may not have a clear warning sign before happening. Conditions that put someone at risk of a stroke can be silent for years.
Simply looking or feeling good isn't always a sign of good health.
A healthy lifestyle certainly reduces risk, but it doesn't make you invincible.