Stroke Awareness Campaign Launched In Indian State

As many as 200 people in every 100,000 in India suffer from stroke every year. A campaign has been launched in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu for promoting awareness with regard to stroke in the country, where public awareness with regard to the disease is very low.

The Indian Stroke Association (ISA) has launched the campaign across Tamil Nadu. It released a study report here which says around 20 million people worldwide suffer strokes every year.

The number of people suffering a stroke in India is reportedly set to increase.

In Mumbai, the association's study showed that 25% of the patients were able to reach a hospital within the golden hour, the critical period or first three hours in which intervention can save a life.

Only about 6% were able to access an ICU six hours after the golden hours.

Stroke is a silent stalker. Absence of pain following a stroke prevents prompt referral. Stroke is more dangerous than heart attack because patients failed to access medicare in time.

Now the Rotary Club chapters in Tamil Nadu cities, in collaboration with the ISA and the Madras Neuro-Trust, have mounted the campaign first in Chennai and then in other parts of the state. The Madras Neuro-Trust will focus on multiple risk factors like progressing age, hypertension, diabetes, cardiac disease and previous stroke history, high fat diet and obesity, and tobacco use.

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The symptoms often last less than 24 hours so that even physicians are fooled into thinking it is a general weakness. The symptoms are spells of dizziness, weakness of limbs, visual disturbances, confusion and memory lapse even if it is for a short spell.

In case the right side of the body is paralyzed, people should learn to use the left side equally well, experts said.

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Edited IANS