World Stroke Day (29/10)

Every year, October 29 is celebrated around the world as World Stroke Day, which was established by the World Stroke Organization (WSO) in 2006, to call for urgent action in the global fight against this disease.

But the history of the date celebrated today began in 2004, when the World Health Organization declared stroke a global epidemic, and in 2006 the World Stroke Organization was created, which established this Day.

Today the organization includes more than 3.5 thousand individual members and more than 90 organizations from around the world. These are scientists, scientific organizations and stroke societies.

Stroke — is a condition in which damage or death of nerve cells occurs as a result of the cessation of blood flow into the brain due to blockage of the artery or blood flow through a rupture of the vessel wall; it is a rapidly developing cerebrovascular accident, with simultaneous damage to brain tissue and disruption of its functions.

Factors that can trigger a stroke, — high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

This disease remains to this day one of the main causes of death and disability both in the world and in Russia. According to WHO, more than 13 million people suffer strokes every year, and about 5.5 million people die from this disease. Vascular diseases account for more than half of deaths, and while stroke has recently occurred mainly in patients over 55-60 years of age, currently about a third of cases occur in people of working age (25-50 years).

In Russia, mortality from stroke — is one of the highest in the world. As a cause of death, it ranks third after coronary heart disease and cancer. It accounts for 175 deaths for every 100 thousand people. According to the National Stroke Registry, 31 percent of people who have had the disease need outside help, 20 percent cannot walk independently, and only eight percent of surviving patients can return to their previous jobs.

One of the most important ways to prevent stroke is a nutritious diet, taking into account all macro and micronutrients. Often, the risk of stroke can be significantly reduced by debugging the diet - at a minimum, eliminating «garbage» food and refined foods, and reducing the consumption of sweets.

Preventive measures are of great importance in solving the problem of increasing morbidity throughout the world. Many of them coincide with World Stroke Day. In particular, a campaign is being held in Russia «Say no to stroke — extend your hand to health!».

On this day, doctors and volunteers helping them organize work with the population and carry out rapid diagnostics of risk factors. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, on October 29, there are mobile medical centers where everyone can consult with a — neurologist or — therapist and get information on how to avoid a stroke.

In addition, in Russia, on the initiative of a group of relatives of patients and the National Association against Stroke (NABI), an interregional fund for helping relatives of stroke patients «ORBI» was created in 2006. This public organization trains relatives of patients in the basics of care, provides them with information about treatment and rehabilitation centers, and conducts educational events for the general population. Many of them take place at the end of October — on Stroke Day.

After all, the main task of the events and the entire campaign carried out within the framework of the Day, — is to increase awareness of the world community, and especially young people, about the problem of stroke, the importance of proper and timely first aid (it is timely first aid that in many cases helps not only to save lives, but also to prevent disability) and, of course, about preventive measures.



Postcard «October 29 — World Stroke Day» Article «Kondrashkin's tricks»

1393