World Stroke Day

Chandigarh: On the eve of World Stroke Day, to create awareness on brain stroke & latest treatment options, a team of experts from PARK Hospital Mohali including Dr Sandeep Sharma group director

interventional radiology, Dr Gaurav Dhavan consultant radiologist, Dr Sangeeta Pradhan consultant neurologist and Dr Anil Sofat consultant neurosurgery, shared valuable inputs on stroke during a press conference here on Tuesday.

PARK Hospitals is North India’s Biggest Super specialty Hospital Network with 19 Hospitals, 3500 Beds, 800 ICU beds, 14 Cath Labs, 45 Modular OTs and over 1000 Doctors.

Dr Sandeep Sharma said, “Stroke is emerging as a new epidemic worldwide with 1.5 to 2.0 million new stroke cases being reported across India every year. The actual numbers are bound to be higher, as many of stroke patients never reach health care facilities,”

He further said that India accounts for 60 % of all stroke patients globally. Everyday around 3000-4000 strokes happen in India and not more than 2-3% are treated. “Worldwide incidence rate of stroke in 60-100 cases per 100,000 population per year, whereas in India it is close to 145-145 cases per 100,000 per year, he pointed out.

The reason for increased incidence in India is lack of awareness about the disease and the methods of prevention, he informed.

He also shared that strokes are responsible for more deaths annually than those attributed to AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined and yet it remains a silent epidemic.

Dr Sangeeta Pradhan said, “ Stroke is of two types- ischemic and hemorrhagic. In ischemic stroke, the blood supply to a portion of the brain is cut off due to a clot with resulting brain damage. It is like a heart attack where blood supply to a part of the heart is blocked and that’s why it is also called bran attack. The other type is hemorrhagic in which there is bleeding in the brain.

Because of a new technique-Mechanical Thrombectomy- which is available now in PARK Hospital Mohali, these patients can be treated in selected cases till 24 hours, said Dr Gaurav Dhawan.

He also shared that PARK Hospital has performed more than 500 successful neuro interventions, informed Dr Anil Sofat.