What day is it?

October 29 – we celebrate World Stroke Day.
Stroke is one of the most common diseases in the whole world, in particular, in our country. This condition ranks 2nd among the most serious diseases in Ukraine. What is a stroke and why do we pay so much attention to it? A stroke is an acute violation of cerebral blood circulation due to a sudden cessation of blood supply to the brain. The consequence of the disease can be disability, which changes the quality of a person’s life and work. This is a very urgent problem in our country and it occupies one of the most important places in medicine.

How the idea of ​​celebrating World Stroke Day came about?

In 2004, the World Health Organization raised a serious question about such a global problem as stroke. And 2006 is marked as the first year of the World Stroke Day. Why was this done? So that people from different parts of the world raise questions, the answers to which help to understand the cause, measures to combat and consequences of a stroke. Every year, on this day, conferences, symposia, speeches, surveys, etc. are held in hospitals, schools, enterprises and offices. This is done in order to spread the relevant information so that people have enough knowledge and skills to deal with and prevent serious illness.

The term “stroke” is of Latin origin and translates as “blow”. 460 years BC Hippocrates first described such a symptom as “loss of consciousness” as a result of brain disease. And this is considered the first mention of a stroke.

World Stroke Day in history

• 460 years BC

  Hippocrates first described such a symptom as “loss of consciousness” as a result of brain disease.
• 2004

  The World Health Organization raised the question of the need to establish a day to combat the disease.
• 2006

  First celebration of World Stroke Day.

Statistics

Ukraine ranks second among European countries in terms of cardiovascular morbidity. According to statistics, in Ukraine there are 11.8 million patients with arterial hypertension, 9 million with coronary heart disease and 1 million with diabetes. The Ukrainian Stroke Association diagnoses cerebrovascular diseases in more than 140,000 Ukrainians every year. A third of them are of working age; 30–40% of stroke patients die within the first 30 days, up to 50% within a year of the onset of the disease; and 20–40% of those who survived become dependent on external assistance (12.5% ​​have a primary disability). And only up to 20% return to their original way of life.

If you lead a healthy lifestyle, follow certain preventive measures and prevent the main risk factors, you can reduce the risk of stroke by 80%.

Frequent Questions and answers on World Stroke Day

Why is this event important?

No matter who you are, what you do in your life, you should be able to provide first aid. After all, we do not know what can happen to us, our friends and loved ones. If you have faced such a problem as “stroke”, then thanks to this day – you can learn and tell others how to fight and prevent this disease. Because not only medical help is needed, but also psychological. This disease “kills” the brain, and changes the emotional state, the relationship to the lost functions. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what your gender is, what your genetics or profession are, “stroke” is getting younger every year. Therefore, the World Health Organization took care of our skills and knowledge, appointing October 29 Dstroke prevention.

When will we celebrate Stroke Day?