Chandigarh’s PGI gets 600-700 stroke patients every year, say doctors

An estimated 17 million strokes occur worldwide each year, of which ~1.6 Million occur in India alone, doctors said.

By: Express News Service | Chandigarh | Published:November 16, 2017 8:29 am
pgimer, pgi chandigarh, heart disease, heart patients, heart attack, heart stroke, heart patients in pgi, indian express PGIMER (Express/File photo)

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) receives 600-700 patients with stroke every year, doctors said on Wednesday. “We are seeing an increase in the cases every year. In the last one year out of 320 strokes we could treat 45 pc. Close to 60 pc have achieved near complete recovery which is still unpublished data,” said Dr Dheeraj Khurana Professor, Department. of Neurology, PGI. He said that as per the published data for the past 5 years, 40 pc of patients who received treatment achieved excellent outcome, 10 pc completely recovered.
An estimated 17 million strokes occur worldwide each year, of which ~1.6 Million occur in India alone, said the doctors.

On Wednesday, the doctors organised a press conference to inaugurate World Stroke Day “Strike Out Stroke’17 (sos’17). Doctors said here is a need to spread awareness among the people for adapting healthy lifestyle and healthy food in order to prevent of stroke. Sos 17 will be featuring a number of activities as well as new additions to the scope of stroke management in the City of Chandigarh.

Dr Vivek Lal head, PGI neurology department, said we “should get more involved in active living and healthy food habits to stay away from diseases like hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cholesterol”.

Dr Khurana stressed on spreading awareness among people about stroke and how it can be prevented by adapting changes in the lifestyle. Awareness stalls with print media and audio visual presentations were also released in public interest by NINE students.

The launch of neuro rehabilitation centre was announced in collaboration with dept of physical medicine and rehabilitation, National Institute of Nursing Education and Dept of Neurology PGI. “It(the initiatives) will go a long way in improving the large stroke burden of our country. This program is playing its part in the worldwide crusade against stroke to prevent deaths and disability which can cripple society as well be a major economic burden,” said the doctors.

The launch of stroke service centre at GMSH-16 was also announced that would be started soon in collaboration of departments of neurology, PGI and GMSH-16.