A quarter of Indian population can access stroke centre within an hour: Study

Roughly a fourth of the Indian population has access to a rehabilitation centre within an hour of experiencing an ischaemic stroke caused when a blood clot affects supply to the brain a study has foundThe research published in the International Journal of Stroke also estimated that there is less than one ischaemic stroke centre per million populationIschaemic stroke is the most common accounting for about 7080 per cent of all strokes in India according to a September 2024 study published in the journal Scientific ReportsIn the recent study researchers including those from the US Ascension Health and All India Institute of Medical Sciences AIIMS Hyderabad found that a total of 566 stroke centres equipped with the intravenous thrombolysis method of treatment which breaks up blood clots were spread across 26 states and union territoriesOf the 566 over 60 per cent 361 were found to be also equipped with endovascular therapy for stroke patients considered superiorTypically an ischaemic stroke patient was 115 kilometres away from the nearest intravenous thrombolysis treatment centre and about 130 kilometres away from the nearest endovascular therapy centre the researchers foundFurther a little over 26 per cent of the Indian population can access intravenous thrombolysis centre in under an hour while about a fifth can access endovascular therapy centre the team foundFor the analysis data on intravenous thrombolysis capable IVTC and endovascular treatment capable EVTC stroke centres were collected in March 2021 from medical devices and pharmaceutical industry providers Time taken to drive to the nearest stroke care centre was estimated using the application Google Distance Matrix APIAccess within one hour to an IVTC and an EVTC centre was available to 263 per cent and 206 per cent of the Indian population respectively the authors wroteThe average stroke centres per million SCPM population was 041 and 026 for IVTC and EVTC respectively they wroteFurther median typical distances to the nearest IVTC and EVTC centres were 115 kilometres and 131 kilometres respectivelyThe authors said establishing stroke facilities equipped with intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatments in poorly served regions in India is urgently needed to increase access and improve outcomes for stroke patientsAlso ReadWorld Stroke Day Why young adults face a higher risk of stroke from lifestyle choicesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever