The number of people suffering stroke in Myanmar rose six folds due to changes in urban lifestyles, Dr Moe Moe Zaw, neurologist from Mandalay General Hospital told The Myanmar Times.
Among the main causes of this emerging lifestyle disease are low awareness in preventing high blood pressure, diabetes and failure to monitor blood pressure and blood sugar, she said.
“The dietary risk in urban lifestyle, tobacco smoke, high body mass index, alcohol and drug abuse and obesity are the factors that cause stroke. Structural heart disease, blood hyper viscosity, connective tissue disorders also makes a person vulnerable to the disease,” Dr Moe Moe Zaw said.
She added that among symptoms of the stroke include weakness and droopiness in the face, weakness in arm or leg as well as trouble in speaking.
Dr Moe Moe Zaw said that anyone who experiences these symptoms should immediately go to the nearest hospital for treatment.
During the past four years the number of Ischaemic and hemorrhagic stroke victims rose six-fold according to the records of Yangon General Hospital.
Many of the victims are under 40 years old and those over 60-years-old, hospital records showed.
Data in Yangon General Hospital showed there were a total of 1136 strokes patients in 2012; 1298 patients in 2013; 2441 patients in 2014; and 7333 patients in 2016.
Data from Mandalay General Hospital, showed there were 574 stroke patients in 2013; 561 in 2014; 797 in 2015; and 1047 in 2016.
“Actually, there were the patients who didn’t come to the hospital. We can’t get their data,” Dr Moe Moe Zaw said.
“Strokes occur due to the problems with the blood supply to the brain. Either the blood supply is blocked or a blood vessel within the brain ruptures, causing brain tissues to die. We could say the number of people suffering from stroke is on the rise in Myanmar,” she said.
The World Health Organization noted in a published report in 2014 that stroke is the leading cause of death in Myanmar, with fatalities from the disease reaching 56,224 or 14.4 per cent of the total deaths in the country on that year.
The death rate due to stroke is 153.81 per 10,000 of the population, making the Myanmar the 19th among the countries in terms of prevalence of deaths due to the disease.
Dr Moe Moe Zaw urged the people to lead a healthy lifestyle, have regular exercise and avoid alcohol and cigarettes in order to prevent from suffering strokes.
“Public stroke awareness always needed,” she told.
Mandalay General Hospital and the Mandalay Medical University have conducted the stroke awareness programs in the region.
She said Thrambolytic theraphy for stroke patients is available at the neurology ward of Mandalay General Hospital since June.
Stroke patients in Myanmar increase six-fold