- India reports over 18 lakh stroke cases every year, but 80% of the strokes are preventable: ISA Secretary Dr Arvind Sharma
- People who have diabetes are 3-4 times more likely than non-diabetics to get a stroke: Dr P Vijaya, executive committee member of ISA
NE HEALTH BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, OCT 27
Hypertension and obesity are among the key risk factors for stroke, and lifestyle changes can go a long way in seeing stroke at bay, according to the Indian Stroke Association (ISA).
“Stroke can happen to anybody, at any age, and at any time. Hypertension is the number one risk factor for stroke, while cholesterol, heart disease, obesity, smoking, and heavy alcohol use are the major risk factors. Early identification of the risks and addressing them through lifestyle changes, including consuming a healthy diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a proper weight, etc., can help prevent stroke,” said Dr Jeyaraj Pandian, President, ISA.
DrPandian made the remarks at a webinar on “Stroke Prevention & Management” on Tuesday, the second such webinar in as many days. The webinar, organised in collaboration with the India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as a part of the capacity-building exercise for stroke treatment at the ground level, on Tuesday was attended by around 800 physicians from all over the country. The webinar on Monday was attended by over 1,400 nurses and other healthcare staff.
The webinars were moderated by Dr. Prabhdeep Kaur, Deputy Director, ICMR-NIE, Chennai.
ISA Secretary Dr Arvind Sharma said that India reports over 18 lakh stroke cases every year, but 80% of the strokes are preventable.
“Awareness is the key as it helps in early recognition of stroke symptoms and can help in preventing stroke cases. ISA has organised several events throughout October as part of Stroke Awareness Month celebrations and will continue to devote its efforts to creating further awareness,” added Dr Sharma.
In her remarks. Dr P Vijaya, executive committee member of ISA, said that people less than 50 years account for one-fourth to one-fifth of the total stroke cases in India.
“People who have diabetes are 3-4 times more likely than non-diabetics to get a stroke,” she said.
Dr Kiran Durgad, Senior Cardio-Vascular Health Officer at IHCI, said a balanced diet, lowering salt consumption, and maintaining proper body weight are among the lifestyle changes that can help prevent stroke.
Dr Meenakshi Sharma, Senior Scientist at the ICMR, said the stroke burden could be reduced significantly if hypertension is managed. She also noted that stroke prevalence is much higher in rural areas when compared with urban areas.
Dr Lalita Sisodia, Cardiovascular Health Officer at the World Health Organisation, focused upon the essential steps for hypertension and diabetes control at health facilities, and spoke about team-based healthcare in hospitals, patient centered care, and information system.
In his remarks, Dr Ganesh Kumar, Scientist, ICMR, National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, too stressed the impact of lifestyle modification practices to tackle hypertension and prevent stroke.
