India Has About 1.5 Million to 2 Million New Stroke Cases Every Year: Dr Vivek Gupta

By 121 News

Chandigarh 25^th October:- To Create awareness on World Brain Stroke Day a team of Doctors from Paras Super specialty Hospital Panchkula, addressed the media person today. Present on the occasion were Dr Prof Vivek Gupta, Senior Consultant Interventional Neuroradiology & Dr Deepak Gupta, Associate Director, Neurology from Paras Specialty Hospital, Panchkula.

Addressing the media person Dr Vivek Gupta said that stroke is emerging as the new epidemic in India with 1.5 to 2.0 million new stroke cases being reported across the country every year. The actual numbers are bound to be higher as many of these patients never reach health care facilities. Everyday around 3000-4000 stroke happen in India and not more than 2-3% are treated. Worldwide incidence rate of stroke in 60-100 cases per 100,000 populations per year whereas in India it is close to 145-145 cases per 100,000/year. The reason for increased incidence in India is lack of awareness about the disease per se and the methods of prevention.

Dr Vivek Gupta said Stroke is of two types: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic stroke means that the blood supply to a portion of brain is cut off due to a clot with resulting brain damage. It is similar to heart attack where blood supply to a part of heart is blocked and that's why it is also called BRAIN ATTACK. The other type is hemorrhagic in which there is bleeding in the brain.

Treatment of ischemic stroke is done by intravenous injection of a drug which can dissolve the clot. Earlier patients reaching after 4-5 hours had no definite treatment options and were managed conservatively with supportive care.

Now because of a new technique called "Mechanical Thrombectomy" which is available now in Paras Hospital Panchkula , these patients can be treated up to 6hrs and in selected cases till 24 hours. In this technique the clot is either aspirated or taken out of the brain with the help of a stent without opening the brain. 

The other type of stroke in which there is bleeding can occur either due to increased blood pressure or due to a condition known as cerebral aneurysm, where a brain artery becomes week, bulges like a balloon and ultimately bursts. One third of these patients die before reaching the hospital, half of those who reach in time are left with serious disabilities.

For years the only treatment for the aneurysms stroke was open brain surgery. But now with the advent of technology we have a minimally invasive way of treating aneurysms without opening the brain.

Interacting with Media persons Dr. Deepak Gupta said that developing countries like India are facing a double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability in India.  The rest are paralysed as they are brought in late to super speciality hospitals and cannot be administered clot buster drugs. As such we need to make a conscious effort to sensitize people about these diseases, the right course of treatment and preventive measures that will help them deal with problems.