More than 100 Stroke patients receive Clot Bursting Drug in CMCH

Ludhiana, September 18, 2014: Stroke or brain attack is the second leading cause of death. More than two-thirds of the deaths due to stroke occur in developing countries like India. From the recently conducted population based stroke registry in Ludhiana by CMC every year there would be 140 new cases of stroke in 1 lakh population.  Twenty five percent of the new stroke cases in Ludhiana are below 49 years of age which is highest in the country.
Dr Jeyaraj D Pandian, Professor and Head of Neurology and Deputy Director (Research and Development) at CMC Ludhiana stated that about half of the patients with stroke are left disabled.  Stroke in a young patient will lead to devastating results like loss of job, income and finally poverty.
Dr Pandian upgraded the existing stroke unit at CMC Ludhiana in the year 2008 after completing his stroke and neurology fellowship from Australia. Till now this unit has treated 104 stroke patients with a clot bursting drug (rtPA) who came within 4 ½ hrs after onset of stroke symptoms. This is the highest number from any hospital in Northwest India. In order to receive this drug, stroke patients have to reach the hospital which has 24 hrs facilities to give this drug within 4 ½ hrs.
Dr Pandian mentioned that patients need to recognize that they are having a stroke. The symptoms of stroke are sudden paralysis in one side of body (face, arm and leg); sudden numbness in one side of body; sudden trouble speaking; sudden trouble understanding; sudden headache, giddiness and unconsciousness and sudden imbalance in walking.
Out of 104 treated patients, 75% of them were functionally independent or left with minimal disability at 3 months follow-up.Among patients who came within 4 ½ hrs,individuals who received within 90 minutes of stroke onset improved very well.  Hence patients and relatives should not waste any time and they should reach the stroke unit as quick as possible.
The Mayor of Ludhiana Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria was the Chief Guest for the function and he lauded the efforts of stroke unit of CMC in offering this facility for the citizens of the city. Dr Abraham G Thomas, Director of CMC stressed the importance of recognising the stroke symptoms and reaching the hospital in time. Mrs Sheila Paul, Sister-in-Charge of the stroke unit talked about the nurses’ role in monitoring these stroke patients very closely during the first 24 hours. Many stroke patients who had received this drug were present in the meeting.
The CMC Stroke unit has an emergency triage system 24 hours a day for these patients. It is managed by the emergency department doctors, nurses, neurology residents Dr Vineeth Jaison, Dr Leenu Gupta and Dr Smriti Bose. When the patient reaches the emergency department they are quickly evaluated and a CT scan of the brain is done immediately. Dr Uttam George, Professor and Head of Radiology mentioned that the department has a 128 slice scanner with perfusion software in order to identify the appropriate patient for this treatment. The nurses of the stroke unit played a skit emphasising on the awareness of stroke symptoms and early arrival to the hospital. Dr SS Grewal Professor and Head of Neurosurgery said that in patients with severe stroke brain surgery can save lives.
           
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