On this world Day of the STROKE, the numbers are falling. Not to scare the population, but to encourage them to be more vigilant to the early symptoms of this accident, which affects more than 140,000 people per year, on average, one French out of six. An accident that leaves too many sequels, and that is one of the main causes of mortality in our country as in the rest of the world. Hence the theme chosen for 2018 by the French Society neuro-vascular : “The STROKE, we are all concerned ! “”It is never too early or too late to prevent it,” stresses president, the Pr Serge Timsit, head of the department of neurology at the university hospital of Brest.

Even if the burden is mainly carried by the older, nearly 25 % of STROKES occur before age 65, and the rate of patients “young people” hospitalized for a STROKE is believed each year with significant increases between 35 and 64 years of age. Question : high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, tobacco and alcohol, as many of the risk factors it is possible to fight or avoid. Nevertheless, the dynamics of STROKE remains a concern in France, as in the rest of the world, in a context of ageing of the population : it is estimated that 7.8 million the number of deaths by STROKE by 2030 !

Recognize the symptoms as early as possible

The Foundation for STROKE research focuses on more young people. In fact, 1,000 children and infants are victims each year. “The lack of awareness of the STROKE of the child leads to a delay in diagnosis and poor care, and consequently the sequelae are often disabling, making STROKE the child the first cause of acquired disability among young people “, can we read on his site. The survey conducted with Odoxa for this occasion indicates that almost 8 out of 10 French under-estimate the number of cases. The same proportion would not recognize the symptoms of this accident in an infant or a child, and only a small minority would then have the right instinct (call it 15) .

Side treatment, dramatic progress has been made in the acute phase of care for STROKE, in particular through the national plan STROKE with awareness of all stakeholders of the importance of the delay before arrival at the emergency department, the deployment of units, neuro-vascular, and more recently the development of techniques performed in emergency by the neuro-radiologists to remove or dissolve the clot.

The following is also important : the fight against the after-effects, which vary according to the areas concerned. Next to physical disabilities are often visible (paralysis, disorders of muscle tone, gait or balance, swallowing…), there are common cognitive sequelae (language, memory, attention, executive functions…), behavioural, and bearing on the mood, sometimes more difficult to identify. This invisible disabilities, however, may have a significant impact on the reintegration into the family, social and professional. And, this time, specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation that come into play to ensure that life continues as normally as possible.