June 13, 2008 – Half of Canadians would not notify emergency services in the event of a stroke. This is the worrying observation made by the Heart and Stroke Foundation in a report that it has just released.1.
These data come from a national survey carried out in the fall of 2007, by the Foundation, among 2,707 respondents aged 18 and over.1.
“Every minute that passes before you call 911 causes brain damage and increases the risk of permanent damage, disability and death,” says Dr.D Louise-Hélène Lebrun, neurologist at Notre-Dame du CHUM Hospital.
However, although 75% of respondents could name at least one of the warning signs of stroke, only 49% would have the reflex to dial 911 if they themselves or someone they know were victims, the survey reveals. .
The authors of the report point out that there is a medical treatment for the most common form of stroke, that which is caused by a blood clot obstructing one of the arteries responsible for supplying the brain, ischemic stroke. However, this treatment should be administered within three hours of the onset of the warning signs in order to reduce or eliminate the sequelae of a stroke, they point out.
It is estimated that in Canada, there is a stroke every 10 minutes and that approximately 300,000 Canadians are currently living with the mild, moderate or severe sequelae of a stroke. About 10% of stroke victims die from it.
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the repercussions of better access to emergency medical care in the event of stroke would be manifold. Widespread access could prevent more than 160,000 strokes, prevent disabilities in 60,000 Canadians and save $ 8 billion in health care costs over the next 20 years in Canada.
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Symptoms of a stroke
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Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
1. The margin of error is 2.2%, 19 times out of 20.
