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Responding to studies suggesting presence
of stroke units in hospitals reduces deaths and improve the care of stroke
patients, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) has started a new stroke
unit from September 5, 2001 as part of a comprehensive stroke programme
for providing timely care to stroke patients.
The facility aims to provide up-to-date
treatment and medical care at par with international standards. The stroke
unit is equipped with state-of-art equipment and medical and nursing staff
with special training to cope with stroke related emergencies and management.
Stroke clinics and stroke rehabilitation programme are also introduced
to provide education and training to the family members for nursing care
at home after discharge from hospital.
Stoke units are appropriate for tertiary care centres
and function as a core component of a comprehensive stroke programme.
The success of the AKUH Stroke Programme depends on an integrated approach
towards delivery of health care to stroke patients. The Stroke Unit is
a collaborative effort of neurologists, nurses and the rehabilitation
specialists at the Hospital. The five-bed Unit is a specially designed
facility equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring systems and manned
24 hours a day by specially trained neurological care nurses and physicians.
The implementation of indigenously developed clinical care pathways and
guidelines allows delivery of standardized care to stroke patients.
The unit was the result of an initiative from the Medical
Director's office, which was headed by Ms. Khurshid Khowaja, Acting Director
of Nursing Services and Dr. Nadir Ali Syed, Consultant Neurologist. Dr. Saad Shafqat, Consultant Neurologist, will
be the physician-in-charge of the Stroke Unit. This Stroke Unit is a landmark achievement for AKUH, and will contribute
towards uplifting the standard of tertiary care provided to stroke patients
in Karachi.
Stroke is the second commonest cause of death
in the world. It is a condition caused by loss of blood supply to a part
of the brain. A stroke occurs when the blood vessel bringing oxygen and
nutrients to the brain is blocked by a blood clot. A stroke can also occur
when a blood vessel bursts
in the brain causing haemorrhage. Stroke patients
develop symptoms such as paralysis, confusion, speech difficulty or vision
problems depending on the part of the brain that is affected. The devastating
effects of stroke are often permanent because dead brain cells are not
replaced.
A stroke (also called a brain attack) is a
medical emergency in which time is of the essence. The medical attention
patients get in the first few hours after the stroke can determine their
long-term outcome. A new medicine is available that can dissolve the blood
clots causing the stroke and improve the chances of a complete recovery
if administered within three hours of symptom onset. Unfortunately, many
hospitals lack the equipment and the trained staff required to treat stroke
patients in an efficient manner necessary for an optimal outcome.
Recent studies in the United States have shown that establishing
stroke units in hospitals decreases the risk of death and severe disability
in stroke patients by 30%. Stroke units allow improvement in the quality
of care provided to stroke patients as well as standardization of acute
care for stroke patients.
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