Annual Global Observance of World Stroke Awareness Day Held on October 29th
World Stroke Day Highlights Urgent Need for Stroke Prevention and Recognition Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
October 29 marks World Stroke Day, a reminder of the 40,000 annual cases of stroke among Kazakhs, with 5,000 deaths within the initial ten days. In an interview on "Almaty" channel, Mynzhylky Berdykhozhaev, head of the neurosurgery department at the Central Clinical Hospital, emphasized the importance of prompt medical attention to save lives and prevent disability.
Recognizing the Signs of a Stroke: The FAST and BIFAST Scales
Stroke, an ancient term for paralysis on one side of the body, has two types, but they display similar symptoms. Healthcare professionals utilize the "FAST" (Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call emergency services) or the updated "BIFAST" (Balance, Eyes, Face, Arm weakness, Speech, and Time) scale to identify the symptoms and provide immediate care.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Stroke Rates
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has thickened the blood and escalated blood clot formation. Consequently, there has been an increase in stroke patients with clots blocking brain arteries. These patients may initially present with fever and can have either ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes while receiving treatment in an infectious setting.
Preventing Strokes: A Combination of Clinical Guidelines, Lifestyle Changes, and Awareness
Maintaining a positive mood, controlling emotions, regular blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol monitoring, and regular check-ups such as echocardiograms, Holter ECG, Holter blood pressure test, and MRI of the brain and blood vessels every ten years can help prevent strokes. Coupled with the 2024 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association guideline on primary stroke prevention, these practices can reduce stroke risk significantly.
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's crucial to manage vascular risk factors, ensuring uninterrupted stroke care pathways amidst pandemic-related challenges.
Public Education and Awareness
Public awareness and education about stroke recognition and prevention are key to reducing stroke incidence and improving outcomes. Stroke awareness campaigns and events reinforcing symptom recognition and prevention in communities help ensure timely action in response to stroke symptoms. Education about controllable risk factors and symptom recognition has become even more important in the context of potential healthcare disruptions from pandemics.
- The importance of prompt medical attention in dealing with chronic diseases such as chronic neurological disorders, like strokes, cannot be overstated to save lives and prevent disabilities.
- In the health and wellness sector, understanding the signs of a stroke remains essential, with tools like the FAST and BIFAST scales helping healthcare professionals identify symptoms quickly and provide immediate care.
- The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic seems to have an impact not only on the respiratory system but also on the cardiovascular system, leading to an increase in stroke patients due to thickened blood and increased blood clot formation.
- Preventing strokes involves a combination of maintaining mental health, fitness and exercise, adhering to clinical guidelines, and managing lifestyle factors such as controlling blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
- In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, public education and awareness about stroke recognition and prevention have become even more important, reinforcing the need for timely action in response to stroke symptoms and managing vascular risk factors to ensure uninterrupted stroke care pathways.
