Urgent Action Needed: Recognizing Stroke & Prioritizing Prevention
This Wednesday, October 29th, is World stroke Day, a crucial reminder of the importance of recognizing stroke symptoms and acting fast. A stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is interrupted – either by a clot (ischemic stroke, 80% of cases) or a burst blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke, 20%). This leads to a sudden neurological deficit and is a life-threatening emergency.
Time is critical. Every minute lost during a stroke results in the death of approximately 2 million brain cells.If you suspect someone is having a stroke, call 15 (or 114 for individuals with hearing or speech impairments) promptly.
The High Authority of Health (HAS) highlights these key symptoms to watch for:
* Facial paralysis
* Paralysis of an arm or leg
* Speech or language disorders
* Loss of vision in one eye, or double vision
* Balance or walking difficulties
The sudden appearance of any of these symptoms warrants an immediate call to emergency services.
The Impact of Stroke
In 2022, stroke claimed the lives of 25% of the 120,000 affected individuals in France. Even survivors often face lasting disabilities, including paralysis, speech difficulties (aphasia), fatigue, concentration problems, anxiety, and irritability.
Improving Prevention & Response
A recent report by the Court of Auditors emphasizes the need for improved stroke prevention and management. While awareness of stroke is crucial,the report finds that public knowledge of stroke symptoms and the urgency of calling 15 remains insufficient. The Court of Auditors recommends a national communication strategy to address this gap.
The report also stresses that current prevention efforts are to broadly focused on cardiovascular diseases and don’t adequately prioritize the specific risk factors for stroke.High blood pressure is identified as the leading risk factor and should be a top prevention priority. The Court of Auditors recommends developing a dedicated action plan to improve high blood pressure screening and management.
Key Recommendations from the Court of Auditors:
* Launch a national communication campaign to increase public awareness of stroke symptoms and the importance of calling 15.
* Prioritize the fight against high blood pressure through improved screening and management.
* Develop a new national stroke plan to streamline care pathways for stroke victims, led by the Ministry of Labor, Health, Solidarity and Families.
