HYDERABAD, July 22: Indian Stroke Association (ISA) on Friday said that there has been a 100 percent increase in the brain stroke deaths between 1996-2019 in the country and the major cause for this increase is the lack of awareness around the disease, its prevention, and treatment.
In a release, the ISA said that approximately 1.8 million people in India suffer from brain stroke and it is the second most common cause of death after Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in India.
While Lancet Global Health, in 2019 stated that 7.4 percent of the total deaths in the country were due to brain stroke, the Association said.
Boehringer Ingelheim India, a world-leading, research-driven pharmaceutical company, has released the findings of India’s first consumer survey on brain stroke titled – The State of Stroke : A Survey On Awareness About Stroke In Urban India, ahead of World Brain Day, 2022.
A National survey was commissioned by Boehringer Ingelheim India and conducted by IPSOS, a global leader in market research, that brought to the fore, the ‘lack of awareness around brain stroke’ in the country.
The survey, conducted by IPSOS with a sample size of 4742, across 12 cities in India revealed that only 22 per cent of the respondents were aware of the risk factors and symptoms of brain stroke, and the awareness levels further drop to just 10 per cent with respect to the treatment options.
In Hyderabad, the survey indicated that a sizeable number of respondents (78%) were aware the term brain stroke, however, the awareness levels suffered as 81 percent of those surveyed were not aware of any of the symptoms associated with brain stroke such as speech difficulty, facial drooping, arm and limb weakness.
Only 25 percent agreed that slurred speech was a sign of brain stroke while only 26 percent of the respondents in Hyderabad identified high blood pressure as a risk factor of brain stroke, the survey revealed.
The report is a clarion call to improve access to quality stroke care services in India. We need a massive awareness campaign to help families and patients identify stroke and reach hospitals on time.
The patients group Stroke Support Alliance calls for all stakeholders to come together and save every stroke patient that can be saved, said Dr Ratna Devi, CEO and Co-founder, Dakshama Health and Education.
Dr Subhash Kaul, Senior Consultant Neurologist, KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad, said, this survey by Boehringer Ingelheim underscores the importance of educating the public about stroke signs and symptoms and creating more awareness.
As we continue to raise awareness of stroke signs, we hope to further improve the outcome of strokes in the future, he added.
Dr Shraddha Bhure, Medical Director, Boehringer Ingelheim India, said Brain stroke is a serious medical emergency which could result in devastating disabilities. In a country like India, where its incidences are on the rise, addressing an episode of brain stroke in a timely manner can go a long way.
To address the awareness gap, Boehringer Ingelheim India launched a website- strokeofsupport.com and this dedicated website is an online stroke support and information portal designed to help both patients and caregivers, Dr Shraddha said.
One of the key features of the website is to find the nearest stroke ready center by pin code. A stroke ready center is a hospital with 24/7 rapid diagnostic procedures like CT scans and a dedicated stroke response team, equipped to provide emergency stroke care, he added. (UNI)
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