Statement by Asst. Prof. Recep Baydemir on the Occasion of “World Stroke Day-October 29”
Asst. Prof. Recep Baydemir, a faculty member at the Department of Neurology/Faculty of Medicine, made a statement on the occasion of “World Stroke Day-October 29”.
In his statement to raise awareness about what needs to be done to prevent stroke and to draw attention to stroke, Asst. Prof. Recep Baydemir said: “We celebrate October 29 as World Stroke Day. Stroke is still ranked third among the causes of death in the world and first among diseases causing disability. Approximately 17 million people in the world have stroke every year and 6 million of them die. While 1 person has a stroke every 2 seconds, 1 person dies from stroke every 6 seconds.
It is Necessary to pay Attention to the Symptoms of Stroke
Asst. Prof. Recep Baydemir said: “Symptoms of stroke include sudden onset of weakness and/or numbness in the arms and legs affecting one side of the body, speech difficulty and disorder, asymmetry in the face, double vision, imbalance and changes in the level of consciousness. Blood pressure control, preventing smoking, healthy nutrition, physical activity and exercise and taking medications used with the advice of a doctor are among the primary methods of reducing the risk of stroke. As stroke is a condition that occurs in cerebrovascular diseases and requires a very rapid treatment, it is necessary to go to a health institution immediately.”
The Earlier Stroke Treatment Starts, the Higher the Chance of Recovery is
Asst. Prof. Recep Baydemir said: “The earlier stroke treatment starts, the higher the chance of recovery is. With the new treatment methods developed in the last 20 years, stroke has now become a treatable disease. Clot-busting therapy (Tissue plasminogen activator-tPA) administered intravenously within the first four and a half hours and the mechanical clot removal process (endovascular thrombectomy) performed during the first 6-hour period (in some cases, it may last up to 24 hours) tend to significantly reduce the rates of death and disability due to the disease. About 2 million nerve cells lose their function every one minute in the blocked vessel area. Therefore, the aim is to diagnose stroke cases early (Time=Brain) and to restore circulation in the blocked vessel area as soon as possible by directing to the appropriate advanced treatment centers.
