Monday, October 29, 2012. World Stroke Day aims to raise awareness about this public health issue. Its international nature highlights that all countries are affected, and stroke remains the leading cause of permanent acquired disability in adults in industrialized countries.
Its international nature highlights that all countries are affected, and stroke remains the leading cause of permanent acquired disability in adults in industrialized countries.
On this occasion, an information campaign will be held in Nice, with signs on all buses in the area about the signs of a stroke and the right reflex, “Call 15.”
A musical clip downloadable from the website www.avcvitele15.com has also been created at the national level by the France AVC patient association and the French Neurovascular Society (SFNV), supported by Bayer HealthCare, and will be broadcast by radios.
Stroke is a medical emergency. It is vital to recognize the signs of a stroke: sudden loss of muscular strength on one side of the body, loss of vision or speech, sudden and severe headache, unexplained fall. The right reflex is to immediately call 15 to be hospitalized urgently because treatments are available and are more effective when administered early.
Stroke can be prevented. Hypertension, diabetes, smoking, overweight or obesity, excess cholesterol, sedentary lifestyle, and heart diseases promote the occurrence of strokes in many cases. It is also essential to identify transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), which last a few minutes and recover spontaneously but are a warning sign of a full stroke. Treating a TIA can prevent a stroke.
After a stroke, the patient and those around them will benefit from understanding the mechanism of their illness, the consequences on daily life, and the measures to prevent a recurrence. Regularly monitoring one’s weight is one of the effective measures that anyone can undertake either to prevent a stroke or to avoid a recurrence. After a first stroke, understanding one’s treatment is crucial to take it accurately.
- In France, each year, 150,000 new cases are recorded, and half of them will have disabling sequelae. Recent studies show an increase in strokes among those under 65. Moreover, stroke is the leading cause of mortality among women in France.
