Srinagar: On World Stroke Day, medical experts in Kashmir highlighted the alarming trend of strokes occurring in young people.
They discussed prevalence of hemorrhagic strokes in the region, and the need for increased awareness and preventive measures.
Dr. M.V. Padma Srivastava, a renowned neurologist and the Head of the Department of Neurology at AIIMS in New Delhi said that a concerning trend of strokes occurring in young individuals, typically aged 30 to 35, who are otherwise active and healthy.
Speaking on the sidelines of World Stroke Day organised by the Department of Neurology Super Speciality Hospital Srinagar, Dr Padma said that there is need for increased awareness and preventive measures to address this issue.
“While there have been significant advancements in stroke treatments, these advanced treatments are not accessible to individuals in remote or rural areas. Quick stroke treatment is essential, and ensuring access to these treatments in district-level healthcare facilities is a significant challenge,” she said.
Dr Srivastava said that the geographical and environmental factors in Kashmir pose unique challenges for healthcare delivery.
She said that common neurological issues encountered in healthcare, including headaches, migraines, seizures (epilepsy), aches, and pains. Life-threatening conditions like strokes, encephalitis, meningitis, and multiple sclerosis also pose significant challenges.
Prof. (Dr.) Bashir Ahmad Sanai, Head, Department of Neurology, SSH, Srinagar said that World Stroke Day is celebrated all over the world in October every year.
“Another important objective of this celebration of this day is to emphasize the importance of the prevention and early treatment of stroke, so that so many lives and so many disabilities can be saved, prevented,” he said.
Dr Sanai said that there is a 100% increase in the incidence of stroke in developing countries, middle- and low-income countries including India, India and in the West there is a 42% drop of the stroke incident.
He said that one in four of us will have a stroke in our lifetime, but almost 80 to 90 percent of strokes can be prevented.
“Many strokes can be prevented through lifestyle modifications and proactive healthcare,” he said.
Dr. Omar Farooq, a leading neurologist in Kashmir, warned that strokes are a “disabling” and “dangerous” disease that can have a devastating impact on patients and their families.
He emphasised the importance of early treatment, noting that “time is brain” and that patients who receive treatment within three hours of a stroke have a much better chance of recovery.
“The unique challenges of providing stroke care in Kashmir is that as the region’s mountainous terrain and the lack of access to specialized medical facilities in rural areas. We need to increase investment in stroke care and for greater public awareness of the signs and symptoms of strokes,” he said.