Lifestyle advocate alerts to prevalence of stroke

A lifestyle advocate, Mrs Rita Melifonwu, has warned that stroke, which is a major cause of sudden death, may be the next pandemic in the country.
Melifonwu, who is the Chief Executive, Stroke Action Nigeria, said this in a statement issued to newsmen on Friday in Lagos, to commemorate the World Stroke Day.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that World Stroke Day is celebrated annually on Oct. 29, with “Minutes can save lives; as the theme for this year’s celebration.
The day seeks to raise awareness on the serious nature and high rates of stroke, and ways to reduce the burden through better public awareness of the risk factors and signs of stroke.
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts.
Melifonwu said that stroke continues to be the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, leaving 50 per cent of survivors chronically disabled with reduced health related quality of life and depression.
According to her, one in four persons will have a stroke in their lifetime.
She said that there was need for Nigerians to embrace a lifestyle to prevent stroke and manage stroke risk factors like high blood pressure and diabetes.
Melifonwu stressed the importance of taking prompt action to commence pre-hospital care and take a person with suspected stroke to the hospital.
Pre-hospital care is a generic term for healthcare provided at the scene of a medical emergency or major incident, and during transfer of casualties to definitive care facilities.
Melifonwu who is also a Board Member, World Stroke Organisation (WSO), said that WSO had revealed that stroke had become treatable and manageable.
She, however, noted that there are considerable pre-hospital delays in patients with acute stroke symptoms presenting at the emergency hospital department.
“This is often due to poor awareness of symptoms and delay in calling emergency services such as the ambulance service.
“This causes delay in seeking medical attention after the onset of stroke symptoms often leading to missed treatment opportunities.
“Survival after a sudden stroke is time dependent, with any potential morbidity and mortality being reliant on effective and efficient prehospital care,” she said.
Melifonwu said that prehospital delay in Nigeria was due to poor awareness of symptoms, late calling of emergency services, and poor government investment in essential services like ambulance service.
“When someone has a stroke, every second that goes by is crucial. As brain cells die our very lives are put at risk. Time could not be more precious.
“Knowing the signs of stroke and getting emergency medical treatment can make a great difference in saving the person’s life.
“By acting fast when a stroke happens, we can also save mobility, speech, memory, relationships and independence.
“The pre-hospital chain of survival should be an essential part of the continuum of emergency health care that is frequently initiated by a national emergency telephone number like 112 in Nigeria, to a dispatch centre,” she said.
In celebrating the World Stroke Day, Melifonwu said that Stroke Action Nigeria had partnered the World Stroke Organisation, the Coalition of Special Taskforces on Stroke Pre-hospital Care Campaign, and the African Stroke Organisation.
She said that the partnership would enable it to raise community awareness of stroke signs and the importance of acting fast to save lives.