More Than 85% Of Stroke Patients Unaware Of Symptoms: Survey

According to a study, more than 85% of people who have experienced a stroke, the main cause of death and functional impairment, are unaware of its symptoms.

According to a press release from the Amrita Hospital in this city, of the 91 patients who had been diagnosed with current and recurring strokes, it was discovered that 85.7% were not aware of the symptoms.

“Kerala being a State with high literacy rate, it is alarming that around 87.5% of the study population is still unaware about stroke symptoms which result in high morbidity and mortality. Even though most of the patients (90 per cent) were taken to the hospital, we found that awareness of stroke symptoms and risk factors was low in both the stroke patients and bystanders,” the release quoted Dr Vivek Nambiar, head of division of stroke medicine and neurology at the hospital, as having said.

In India, the prevalence of stroke among the young is higher than among the western population, and despite the implementation of specialised stroke units and thrombolytic therapy, the public remains uninformed about strokes, and only a few patients seek hospital care in terms of arriving at a time to receive treatment,” the release said.

To reduce disability and improve quality of life, it was stated that there should be universal awareness of stroke symptoms and the significance of seeking prompt medical assistance during the first few hours after the onset of stroke.

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