ALICANTE, 31 (EUROPA PRESS)
The majority of patients reporting a disability moderate after having suffered a stroke often have mobility problems, such as loss of eequilibrio, risk of falls or difficulty in walking, according to a study presented by the neurologist Henry Noah during the XXIX meeting of the society of Valencia of Neurology (SVN) held in Alcoi this weekend.
Dr. Noah has explained that the stroke or disease stroke is abrupt disorder of cerebral circulation which alters the function of a particular region of the brain on a temporary or permanent basis.
In this regard, noted that in recent years there have been “great progress” in the treatment of stroke during the acute phase. In particular, has cited the implementation of Thrombolysis in ischemic stroke – a drug to dissolve the thrombus that occludes the artery causing ischemia-.
This drug and the gradual generalization of stroke units in hospitals “have declined dramatically the possibility of death or disability associated with this disease”. Even so, pointed out that the number of units in Spain is “very low”, with 39 in Spain, of which four are in the Comunitat.
In this context, and on the occasion of the meeting of the SVN, Dr. Noah has submitted a study with results of a rehabilitation program on a total of 396 patients with a moderate residual disability after a stroke.
Thereon, has commented that the mobility problems – loss of balance, risk of falls and difficulty in walking – tend to be the most prevalent according to this study, appearing in more than 75 percent of patients with moderate disabilities.
The specialist added that following the problems of mobility, behavioural problems – irritability, lack of initiative, disinhibition and depression – and the cognitive – learning, guidance or communication problems – difficulties are also “frequent”, affecting about 40 percent of patients, according to data from the same study.
Improvements of 40 %
As well, and according to this report, the rehabilitation treatment managed to reduce the disability in all areas, with improvements in more than 40 percent of the patients included in the cognitive problems, difficulties, emotional, risk of falls; and in more than 30 percent in global mobility, activities of daily living and conduct problems.
In acute stages of the disease, the expert indicated that you estimated that the early inclusion in rehabilitation programs reduces hospital stay times, “with the consequent lowering of costs that entails, estimated around 40,000 euros per patient”, has said.
In periods of attention most chronic, rehabilitation programmes “have shown an increase in the rate of work in more mild patients and family reintegration and a reduction in the need for care, especially in the more serious patients”, she said.
On the need for specialized care, has been compared in the study the cost and the benefit of rehabilitating these patients in specific programmes of rehabilitation or without these benefits. According to these studies, although generally these programs are expensive, “spending usually pay off considering the life expectancy of these patients, so that cost-effectiveness are clearly superior to non-specific treatments in terms”, he said.
