Hyderabad: Globally, there has been a steady increase in the cases of stroke in the last few years. It is a disease that can make the victim handicapped for life and sometimes even cause death. Recognizing its dangers, 'World Stroke Day' is observed every year on October 29th with the aim of making people aware of stroke on a global stage.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stroke is the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disabilities worldwide. According to statistics, in the year 2016, stroke was responsible for 11.5 million deaths. At the same time, WHO estimates that the number of stroke deaths will increase to 17 million by 2030.
In view of these dangers, 'World Stroke Day' is observed every year on October 29th globally with the aim of making the general public aware of the severity of a stroke and the steps to be taken in the event of stroke and the factors associated with its treatment. One of the objectives of organizing this day is to make efforts to reduce the risk of stroke and also to give a platform to the people for discussions in this regard. This year World Stroke Day 2022 is being observed with the theme "#Precioustime".
Experts and doctors believe that in the last few years, due to the constantly changing lifestyle and irregular routine, the number of stroke cases has increased not only among the elderly but also among the youth. In 2019, a piece of information released by the Indian Stroke Association (ISA) said that around 17 million people suffer from stroke every year around the world, out of which 6.2 million people die, while about 5 million people become disabled. It was mentioned in the report that in the last 15 years, an increase of 17.5 per cent has been registered in the cases of stroke in India.
At the same time, according to the latest data available globally, about 18 lakh people become victims of a stroke every year around the world. Most cases of stroke occur in low- and middle-income countries. In India itself, according to the data available on various government and non-government websites in India, every minute three Indians have a stroke of mild, moderate or complex level. The Journal of Stroke Medicine (title: Guidelines for the early management of acute ischemic stroke) reported data on stroke, according to this the prevalence rate of stroke is seen between 84 and 262 strokes per one lakh people in rural areas. In urban areas, this figure is 334 and 424 per 1 lakh population.
It is a matter of concern that in the earlier era, where the cases of stroke were seen more in the elderly, nowadays, cases of stroke are also being diagnosed among the youth. According to research conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), about 10% to 15% of the total stroke cases in young adult patients are such that almost every fifth victim is hospitalized.
Significantly, on October 29th 2004, World Stroke Day was established at the World Stroke Congress in Vancouver, Canada. After which the World Stroke Organization was formed in the year 2006 with the merger of the World Stroke Federation and the International Stroke Society. On this occasion, it was decided by the organization to observe World Stroke Day every year with the aim of spreading awareness among the people. On this occasion, it was announced by Canadian neuroscientist, Dr Vladimir Hachinsky to observe this day internationally.
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The call to observe World Stroke Day was first made in the 1990s by the European Stroke Initiative, but due to financial reasons at that time this event was limited to Europe only. In the year 2022, World Stroke Day is being observed around the theme "#Precioustime". The main objective of choosing this theme is to give impetus to the theme of the campaign from the year 2021 - “Minutes Can Save Lives”.
According to the National Family Health Survey-5, there is a continuous change in the lifestyle of people for the last 30 years. Due to this, Non-Communicable Diseases and their associated risks are increasing in almost all parts of India. At the same time, an increase in stroke cases is being registered since Covid. In such a situation, this year's theme has been decided with the aim of making the public aware of the signs and symptoms of stroke and encouraging them to make timely efforts and get an early diagnosis to prevent the progression of the complications of the disease.
Experts say that a stroke is a medical emergency and requires immediate medical attention, otherwise, the person can become disabled and even die. It should be noted that there are two types of strokes, Ischemic and Hemorrhagic.
Ischemic stroke occurs due to the blockage of an artery supplying blood to the brain. At the same time, hemorrhagic stroke occurs due to the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain. Both these types can cause death or long-term disability. People recovering from stroke usually require long-term care and rehabilitation along with treatment. In particular, people who are already suffering from problems like high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity are considered more vulnerable to stroke.
- The FAST (F.A.S.T.) test can be beneficial to check the symptoms of a stroke. It has four stages which are as follows:
- First Step 'F': F stands for the Face. Ask the victim to smile when a stroke occurs. If any part of their face is seen hanging while smiling, then there may be a stroke.
- Second Step 'A': A stands for the Arm. Ask the victim to raise both hands on the suspicion of having a stroke. If they are unable to raise one hand or cannot lift it, it could be a sign of a stroke.
- Third Step 'S': S stands for Speech or Speaking. Ask the victim to repeat a word, if they have trouble repeating that word or are unable to speak clearly, it may be a sign of a stroke.
- Fourth Step 'T': T here means Time to Call Emergency Service. If any one of the three symptoms mentioned above is seen in the victim, then it is necessary to take them to the hospital immediately.
