Staying at home is one of the wisest actions people can do amid the pandemic.
But if one sees or experiences any sign of stroke– such as numbness on the face or arm and slurred speech, consider it an emergency and go to the hospital immediately. In such potentially life-threatening cases, choosing to stay at home may prove to be dangerous.
Stroke, a disease that occurs when a blood vessel carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts, remains to be one of the leading causes of death in the world and second in the Philippines. The burden of stroke is enormous as every year, 17 million people suffer from stroke. One-third of these people die as a consequence and another third are left permanently disabled.
However, a recent survey with members of the World Stroke Organization that garnered over 100 responses from countries worldwide, showed that stroke admissions decreased up to 90% as compared to a comparable period in 2019. The median decrease was 50-70%.
According to the WSO, the most likely reason is that patients with mild symptoms are ignoring them and deciding not to go to the hospital for fear of being exposed to COVID-19.
The Stroke Society of the Philippines likewise noted that the Philippines also observed a reduction of stroke patients presenting to the hospital.
“The SSP did a national survey on the impact of COVID-19 on the stroke care of the Philippines and there was a decline in the number of acute stroke patients consulting at the emergency room by as much as 50% to 75%,” he said.
The [top] common reasons in the delay of hospital consult among patients with stroke symptoms is still the lack of stroke awareness and the fear of COVID infection when reaching the hospitals,” Dr. Epifania Collantes, head of stroke services-Philippine General Hospital, shared as she detailed learnings from the Philippines during a webinar on the impact of COVID-19.