KARACHI, May 15: Lack of awareness and myths were identified as the factors responsible for delayed medical intervention and consequent debilitated life quality of almost 70 per cent of stroke patients in the country.

Experts at a seminar, organised to mark the “World Stroke Day”, at the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dow University of Health Sciences, here on Thursday called for creating awareness about prevention, as well as proper management, of the serious health condition.

DUHS Vice-Chancellor Prof Masood Hameed Khan said that like all other developing countries, Pakistan had registered a surge in the incidence of stroke.

“Obesity and smoking are established to be the commonest triggering factors,” he said, and observed that smoking was the major factor for the condition being noticed among younger people.

He called for concerted efforts, along with media support, to raise public awareness of the problem.

Director of the Institute of Professional Development Prof Saleem Ilyas said 150 cases of stroke were reported at the Neurology department of Civil Hospital Karachi every month. Of 1,000 stroke patients, only three were able to reach the emergency department of any hospital within the first few hours, he observed while referring to a CHK study.

Director of the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Prof Nabila Soomro said high cholesterol in blood was identified to be the major cause of stroke.

She said people above 65 years of age were more prone to develop the condition.

Dr S.R. Kirmani was among the others who spoke at the seminar, which was followed by a presentation and demonstration on handling stroke cases.—APP