First Aid for Stroke and the Angels Initiative

During a stroke, time is very important. The moment you see and suspect someone is having a stroke, the first thing you should do is to call for emergency services. In the Philippines we have 911 is the national emergency hotline. But if you can bring the patient to the nearest hospital, then do it.

Stroke happens when there's a a sudden interruption in the blood supply to the brain. It is called "brain attack". Stroke are categorized into two. First is caused by a blockage of blood flow and caused by bleeding into the brain. A blockage of a blood vessel in the brain or neck, called an ischemic stroke, it is the most frequent cause of stroke and is responsible for about 80 percent of strokes.

 Stroke is a serious medical case and time is of the essence. It is also best that we should at least be familiar with the signs and symptoms of stroke.

1. Numbness on the face or droop on one side of the face.
2. Numbness on one side of the body, it could be an arm or shoulder.
3. Slurred speech (nabubulol in Tagalog term)
4. Blurring of vision (panlalabo ng paningin)
5. Headache
6. Dizziness
7. Nausea
8. Loss of balance or consciousness

If the first three signs and symptoms are present, stroke should be considered and the patient should be brought to the hospital, best if in a stroke-ready facility.

How stroke patients will recover will depend on how fast he/she will receive the treatment for stroke that is why I mentioned earlier time is of the essence. Even if you only notice only one (1) symptom like loss of balance or slurred speech, it should not be taken for granted.

People age 55 or older have a higher risk of stroke than younger people do. Men have a higher risk of stroke than women do. Women are usually older when they have strokes, and they're more likely to die of strokes than are men. Mayo Clinic (1998) on Stroke https://mayocl.in/2hZe3pl. In the Philippines, stroke is the second leading cause of death.


The Angels Initiative: Building a Network of Stroke-Ready Hospitals

October is World Stroke Day, the campaign raises awareness on preventing stroke, knowing the early signs and symptoms of stroke and the importance of providing immediate treatment and support.

In light of the upcoming World Stroke Day on October 29, the Angels Initiative, a healthcare program that aims to improve hospital care for people who just suffered a stroke, recently hosted a round table for the media called, “Angels Initiative: Improving Stroke Care in Asia,” at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.


The Angels Consultants Team

The Angels Initiative is composed of dedicated consultants who provide doctors, nurses and ambulance crews with the training and support they need to create and improve the treatment pathways and processes around stroke care. The Angels consultants run assessments together with the hospitals; compare existing processes with guidelines; provide training and ongoing support for the hospital staff as well as process- and quality-monitoring.

Present during the discussion -

“One third of 17 million people die from stroke after exhibiting its symptoms. Another third are left disabled permanently. It is alarming to note that two-thirds of stroke attacks in the world happen in Asia,” according to Prof. Dr. Jose Navarro, Chair of the Neurosonology Group of the Philippine Neurological Association and former President of the Stroke Society of the Philippines. 

“There are more chances that an outcome will be most favorable when a stroke patient receives care 60 minutes upon arrival at the hospital,” explained Prof. Dr. Michael Brainin, President of the World Stroke Organization.  “These patients are more likely to become independent and have a higher possibility of going back home after surviving the disease.”


Angels Initiative: Making hospitals stroke-ready

Angels Initiative helps hospitals and medical facilities stroke-ready, treating patients as soon as possible, following the best standards of care. This is important so that they can have better chances of survival and living disability-free lives. The initiative provides hospitals with the resources and the support they need as well as the needed training for their doctors and staff so that they can be truly stroke-ready.

Every country that the Angels Initiative is present in has an “Angels Consultants Team” that supports hospitals in implementing stroke care improvement programs. A hospital or center will be considered stroke-ready when it has reached a standardization of processes, which will ensure that stroke treatment is given within 60 minutes of the patient arriving at the hospital.

A stroke is a true emergency. Now that you know the signs and symptoms, be alert when someone might need your help. Remember that time is of the essence, call for help or emergency services while making sure that the victim is in a safe place.