(Adnkronos) – In our country, stroke affects 120 thousand people every year, but less than 30% of Italians are able to recognize the signs to intervene quickly, experts warn. To contribute to raising awareness regarding the prevention and improvement of the management and care of patients, in the footsteps of the European precursor, Isa-Aii (Italian Stroke Association – Italian Stroke Association) has drawn up the Stroke Action Plan for Italy (Sap-I) . The aim is to achieve the objectives of prevention, awareness, optimization of the pre-hospital and intra-hospital phase, rehabilitation and monitoring by 2030. In the next few weeks the scientific society will deliver the document to the institutions and will ask the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, for his signature. The various problems relating to the management of stroke in our country and the necessary actions were presented at a press conference on the occasion of World Stroke Day 2024 which is celebrated on Tuesday 29 October.
“The number of people affected by stroke every year is very high, both at an Italian and European level – explains Mauro Silvestrini, president of Isa-Aii – Estimates say that in the near future it will be possible to increase the incidence of the pathology by 26%, with a significant increase in healthcare costs linked to the management of the disease, which in Europe are already very high, around 60 billion euros. It is therefore essential to intervene on the optimization of patient care and treatment services, which today see large discrepancies between Northern, Central and Southern Italy. In fact, only 24% of the Stroke Units are located in the South of the country, with 51 facilities, while the Center hosts 26% (for 56 departments). In the North, however, 50% is concentrated, with 106 units. Patients must be guaranteed rapid treatment and complete rehabilitation throughout Italy. This requires a commitment especially at an institutional level.”
“As Isa-Aii, in recent months we have been working on the Stroke Action Plan, a national version of the European precursor, the Stroke Action Plan for Europe (Sap-E) – underlines Paola Santalucia, president-elect of Isa-Aii – A first document is already has been shared with the entire scientific society and will soon be presented to the Italian institutions so that it can receive the patronage of the Ministry of Health. Once made official, it will represent the company’s reference guidelines and direct the actions of healthcare professionals dealing with stroke. Our interest is primarily in providing greater information to citizens regarding the risks of the disease, with thorough checks for hypertensive patients; raising awareness of the importance of rapid recognition of signs and the involvement of schools and Regions; the increase in operating centers, the reduction of treatment times, which today are still excessively long, the review of intervention paths and methods”.
“Other objectives – continues Santalucia – concern post-stroke recovery, which requires that patients and relatives receive in-depth information regarding rehabilitation possibilities, the definition of regional protocols and the treatment of at least 40% of patients. Finally, quality monitoring in hospitals and facilities, even up to 3 months after the event. In the meantime, we ask that the Italian Ministry of Health sign, as a symbolic gesture of institutional commitment, the Declaration of Action of the Stroke Action Plan for Europe, a first step to ensure that by 2030 all 53 European countries can share shared national plans on the treatment of ‘stroke’.
“Although it is not possible to 100% avoid the occurrence of a stroke, it is however possible to reduce the probability with primary prevention, that is, by paying attention to lifestyles – adds Danilo Toni, past president of Isa-Aii – Smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, hypertension and diabetes are recognized risk factors for this pathology, which can often be addressed with small daily measures. As a scientific society we are working with a real stroke ‘meter’, the Stroke Barometer, in an observational study which has allowed us to quantify the perception of the impact of the disease on the Italian population. The research showed that less than 10% of Italians think they could suffer a stroke in their lifetime, despite the fact that it affects 120 thousand people a year and is one of the three most widespread causes of death, together with cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, less than 30% of Italians would be able to recognize the signs and symptoms in order to intervene quickly. A situation that is important to investigate to study interventions aimed at raising awareness of the importance of prevention and early diagnosis.”
