Experts Highlight The Need For Comprehensive Stroke Care

Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies recently inaugurated its 4^th META Stroke Academy in the United Arab Emirates.

The two-day event included over 150 leading neurologists and cardiologists from across the region who shed light on the importance of implementing immediate stroke prevention and treatment processes so that lives of stroke patients can be saved and permanent disabilities reduced.

The META Stroke Academy is accredited by three reputable bodies including the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology (EBAC) as well as the European Stroke Organization (ESO) to drive the program’s overall scientific value.

During the working sessions as part of the event, medical experts highlighted the epidemiological change of stroke and the disease’s continued increase worldwide and in the region. They said that there is an urgent need to develop more efficient and accurate methods to measure stroke. There is also a significant call to increase public awareness and implement interventions on stroke, its risk factors and symptoms to help people understand the negative impact on the quality of life.

The META Stroke Academy focuses on prevention of stroke and immediate treatment on occurrence to save lives. Prevention of stroke measures involves identification of risk factors, which may include the increased prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and a high BMI. The increased incidences of these diseases lead to a number of complications that include atrial fibrillation, irregular blood circulation, and tendency for blood clotting, which requires effective available treatment to minimize the chances of stroke occurrence.

Over the past four years, collaborative efforts between hospitals, regulators and Boehringer Ingelheim have resulted in the development of a comprehensive stroke centers across the META region. In 2015, in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia, there were three certified centres. Six centers are expected to be in place by the end of this year and 10 by 2019.

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or reduced, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the commonest persistent cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and is an important cause of stroke.

In atrial fibrillation, blood can pool in the heart’s upper chambers (atria) and form blood clots. If a blood clot forms, it can travel from the heart to the brain, obstructing the flow of blood to the brain and causing a stroke.

To address this, experts also discussed the importance of doctors making the right choice for their patients when it comes to stroke prevention through the use of oral anti-coagulants which are used to treat atrial fibrillation. Studies have shown that anticoagulation can result in a 64% reduction in strokes.