The study also shows that around 12% of people affected by stroke are in the age group of fewer than 45 years of age.
Stroke is the leading cause of death and functional impairment, accounting for a significant burden of global non-communicable diseases. The prevalence of stroke in India varies in different regions of the country and ranges from 40-270 per 100000 population.
It has been found that around 12% of people affected by stroke come under the age group above 40yrs. The present study was done by Amrita Hospital, Kochi, to assess the knowledge of stroke risk factors and symptoms among stroke patients and bystanders.
The study was conducted on in-patients of the stroke medicine department from October 2020 to April 2021. Patients diagnosed with the recent and recurrent stroke of age > 18 years were recruited.
A total of 91 patients participated in the survey. Among the 91 patients, 56 (61.5%) were male, and 35 (38.5%) were female.
Dr.Vivek Nambiar, Head of Division of Stroke Medicine, Neurology, Amrita Hospital, Kochi shares some insights from the study. “Kerala is a state with a high literacy rate; it is alarming that around 87.5% of the study population is unaware of stroke symptoms, resulting in high morbidity and mortality.
Even though most of the patients (90%) were taken to the hospital, we found that awareness of stroke symptoms and risk factors was low in both the stroke patients and bystanders, causing delays in hospitalization, which further adds to the complexity of the condition.
Stroke awareness is not proportionately good with the state’s high education levels. A crucial point that we always emphasize being a doctor is that there is NO first aid for stroke. Take the patient immediately to the hospital with the availability of CT facility.”
Sharing more details from the study, Dr.Vivek said, “In India, the prevalence of stroke in the young is proportionately high compared with the western population. Despite implementing specialized stroke units and thrombolytic therapy, the public remains uninformed about strokes. Only a few stroke patients seek hospital care when arriving at a time to receive treatment.
So, the study’s main purpose was to evaluate public awareness regarding the management of stroke and to attain sudden medical attention to those who show signs and symptoms of a stroke. Patients and bystanders have explained the importance of seeking immediate medical attention and the efficient use of thrombolytic therapy when the patient is brought within the right time window.
The timely implementation and success of stroke management greatly depend on the public knowledge about stroke, particularly individuals at high risk and their caregivers, which necessitates improving public knowledge about stroke.
Red alert symptoms, which everyone must know for stroke, are transient speech difficulty and short leg and hand weakness which improves ultimately. Apart from red alert, regular checkups/tests like the Doppler test and checking the heart’s health to look for Atrial fibrillation are also recommended by experts.
Suppose someone has any these lifestyle diseases like -Elevated blood pressure, Diabetes, Certain heart diseases like Atrial Fibrillation, High blood cholesterol, Poor Diet and nutrition, Obesity, Smoking, and Alcohol consumption. It is important to spread as much awareness as possible to save lives and educate people.
Widespread awareness about stroke symptoms and the importance of receiving early medical attention within the first few hours after stroke onset is necessary to minimize the disability due to stroke and maximize the quality of life. The current survey showed that the general awareness of stroke is minimal among stroke patients and family members.
This points to the urgent need for enhanced public awareness efforts to improve the treatment and outcome of stroke patients. The healthcare provider, starting from the primary care physicians, should provide structured interventions to increase public awareness and knowledge about stroke. Implementation of awareness programs is imperative to improve the understanding and management of stroke.
Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (Amrita Hospital), based in Kochi, is one of the premier hospitals in South Asia. Founded in 1998 by Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (known worldwide as Amma), it offers a full range of primary and specialty-care medical services. Amma’s vision of providing advanced medical care to the poor and disadvantaged inspired Amrita Hospital, a 1,300-bed (490 units) tertiary referral and teaching hospital serving more than 8 lakh outpatients today and more than 50,000 inpatients annually.
The massive healthcare infrastructure with over 3.33 million sq. ft. of built-up area, spread over 125 acres, supports a daily patient volume of approximately 3,500 outpatients with 95 percent inpatient occupancy. There are 12 super-specialty departments, 45 other departments, 4,500 support staff, and 670 faculty members. The hospital’s extensive infrastructure offers facilities comprising 28 modern operating theatres, 275 equipped intensive-care beds, and a fully computerized and networked Hospital.
Information System (HIS), a fully digital radiology department, 17 NABL-accredited clinical laboratories, and 24/7 telemedicine service.
In 2015, South Asia’s first-ever Bilateral Hand Transplant Surgery was done at Amrita Hospital. The same year, Amrita Hospital won the British Medical Journal Award for the Best Surgical Team in South Asia. The Amrita team won the award for its two successful double hand transplants, the first and the second bilateral hand transplants in this region.
This article was shared with Prittle Prattle News as a Press Release.
