Page 14 - MidWeek - May 25, 2022

14 MIDWEEK MAY 25, 2022
A medical professional with many responsi- bilities, Dr. Michael Lui serves as both chief of neu- rology at Pali Momi Medical Center and the board president for American Heart Associa-
DR. MICHAEL LUI, M.D., chief of neurology at Pali Momi Medical Center Interviewed by Don Robbins
The F.A.S.T. Way To Spot A Stroke
ography and neuromuscular diseases at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
cerning to know that statisti- cally 1 in 5 women nationally will develop a stroke. Women ages 35 and younger are 44% more likely than men to have the most common type of stroke — an ischemic stroke, which is when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed. About one-third of Hawai‘i adults have high blood pressure, which is the No. 1 preventable cause of stroke.
tion Hawai‘i.
“When I was a child, I knew
“Whether it’s a minor symp- tom or a serious disease, hav- ing a patient fully understand where their symptoms come from is crucial both physically and mentally in their healing process,” he shares.
I wanted to help people in some way. I was fortunate that my parents provided me with an open landscape of opportu- nities and supported whatever career path I chose as long as it gave me joy and purpose in life,” he shares.
In this article, he discusses the field of neurology and what we need to know about iden- tifying and avoiding a stroke.
Dr. Michael Lui, chief of neurology at Pali Momi Medical Center, consults with a patient. PHOTOS COURTESY HAWAI‘I PACIFIC HEALTH
well as difficulty with balance and walking, arm and leg pain, headaches, tremors, stroke, sei- zures, memory loss and more. We help make a diagnosis, pro- vide treatment, as well as ed- ucate and provide counseling.
Time to call 911: If someone shows any of these symptoms, call 911 and get to a hospital immediately. Check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared.
What are your duties as the board president for the American Heart Association in Hawai‘i?
Lui started in the medical field as a volunteer transport- er moving patients through a community hospital. Then, while in college, he became a certified Emergency Med- ical Technician. Responding to 911 emergencies cemented his decision to go to medical school. He earned his degree at University of Maryland, Balti- more, completed his neurology residency at Boston University Medical Center then went on to a fellowship in electromy-
What do you do as chief of neurology?
blood pressure occurs when the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels is consistently too high. This can weaken the blood vessels over time leading to clots or even cause the vessel to rupture.
A majority of strokes can be prevented through education and lifestyle changes such as moving more and eating smart. It’s critical to learn your fami- ly health history and then talk to your doctor about lowering your personal risk.
Our American Heart As- sociation Hawai‘i board of directors regularly discusses the latest updates in stroke and cardiovascular health so we can further the organization’s efforts and provide communi- ty outreach. My goal is to help represent the Association Ha- wai‘i Division and our board of directors to promote our initiatives, work with our legis- lators to pass important health policies and educate the public.
As a physician, he relishes providing his patients with in- sight into their bodies.
Speech difficulty: Is the speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to un- derstand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “The sky is blue,” and see if it sounds odd to you.
My main goal at Pali Momi is to ensure we provide the community with neurological expertise for various disor- ders. In general, neurologists are specialists in the brain, spi- nal cord, nerves and muscles, and we see a wide variety of cases on a daily basis. People may come in with complaints of numbness and tingling in their face, hands and feet as
What should people know about strokes?
A good way to remember the symptoms is learning how to spot a stroke F.A.S.T.
What is the impact of strokes on our population?
May is American Stroke and Hypertension Awareness Month. Those two issues are related since hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a lead- ing risk factor for stroke. High
Face drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
According to the American Heart Association, stroke re- mains Hawai‘i’s third leading cause of death. Stroke is also the leading cause of major disability in Hawai‘i. It’s con-
Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person
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