DOHA: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has launched two new services to prevent and reduce the incidence of stroke among the population.
A Stroke Prevention Clinic and Rapid Assessment Stroke Unit (RASU) have been started at the Hamad General Hospital (HGH) since July this year, said Dr Maher Saqqour, Senior Consultant in Stroke Neurology at HGH.
“These services were introduced under the Stroke Programme which was developed by our team. The Stroke Prevention Clinic sees people at the high risk of getting a stroke. We do investigations and help to minimise risk factors,” he said speaking to media persons recently.
The Stroke Prevention Clinic sees an average of 15 to 20 persons on daily basis. At the RASU, patients who present with minor strokes and warning symptoms are treated to prevent major stroke. Six to eight patients are treated daily at RASU.
“A major stroke can be prevented if patients with a minor stroke or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are treated in the next 24 to 48 hours, according to studies. At RASU any patient who has a minor stroke or reversible symptoms of stroke will be seen within 12 hours. We do appropriate and urgent follow-ups and make sure that none of the patients get missed out,” said Dr Saqqour.
“Some of the signs of a minor stroke include slight facial weakness, weakness on one side or numbness, slight speech difficulty, sensory problems and visual problems. These symptoms can develop to a major stroke,” he added.
HMC established the Stroke Programme few years ago, and it first introduced the Acute Stroke Service.
The treatment methods included giving thrombolysis, a medication given within four and a half hours of the onset of an acute stroke. This clot breaking drug will open the artery and renew blood flow to the brain.
With at least 1,600 patients treated for stroke annually, Dr Saqqour has advised people to utilise the services provided by Primary Health Care Corporation’s health centres to screen and get treated for lifestyle diseases.
“The most leading causes for stroke are uncontrolled hypertension, followed by diabetes, smoking and poor life style habits,” said Dr Saqqour.
