Park Hospital doctors raise awareness on stroke prevention and treatment

To create awareness on Brain Stroke Day and the latest treatment options, a team of doctors from Park Hospital Mohali addressed the media today. Present on the occasion were Dr Sandeep Sharma, Group Director of Interventional Radiology; Dr Gaurav Dhavan, Consultant Radiologist; Dr Sangeeta Pradhan, Consultant Neurologist; and Dr Anil Sofat, Consultant Neurosurgery.

Dr Sandeep Sharma said, “Stroke is emerging as a new epidemic worldwide, with 1.5 to 2.0 million new cases reported in India every year. The actual numbers are likely higher, as many patients never reach healthcare facilities. Every day, around 3,000 to 4,000 strokes occur in India, and no more than 2 to 3 per cent are treated.”

Dr Sangeeta Pradhan explained that there are two types of strokes: ischemic and haemorrhagic. Ischemic stroke occurs when the blood supply to a portion of the brain is cut off due to a clot, resulting in brain damage. It is similar to a heart attack, where blood supply to a part of the heart is blocked. The other type is haemorrhagic, where there is bleeding in the brain.