Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Dr P Vijaya, President, Indian Stroke Association (ISA) inaugurated the ‘Brain Stroke - Time to Act’ campaign to fight the growing number of brain stroke cases in the country. ISA, in collaboration with Indian Association of Physicians (API), Hyderabad Chapter, and Members of SEMI (Society for Emergency Medicine India), conducted the Stroke Master Class in the city on Sunday.

This vital initiative aims to enhance professional and public awareness about brain strokes, emphasizing the importance of early recognition, timely management, and long-term preventive strategies. With staggering statistics revealing that a stroke occurs every 20 seconds in India, and over 18 lakh new cases reported annually, the need for immediate action has never been clearer to develop and implement a stroke action plan at the regional, state, and national level.

Dr. P Vijaya, President, ISA, explained that Brain Stroke can affect anyone, at any time irrespective of age, sex, educational level or economic background. When a brain stroke happens, every minute 20 lakhs brain cells (neurons die) hence ‘Time is Brain’.

There are mainly 2 types of strokes, but the most common type is ischemic stroke, for which the most effective treatment is clot-busting injection called IV thrombolysis. Unfortunately in India only 1% of eligible patients are receiving this evidence based treatment, he said.  

During the session, experts discussed Stroke codes in the ER, clinical assessment and imaging, consensus on improving the stroke care ecosystem in India, the details of IV thrombolysis in Acute Stroke Management, large vessel stroke, and mechanical Thrombectomy for large vessels strokes and managing of intracerebral hemorrhage.