Huml warns against stroke risk at Bayern

Health Minister Huml: stroke risk is underestimated

04/27/2014

The Bavarian Minister of Health Melanie Huml (CSU) warned on Saturday in Munich of the underestimation of the risk of stroke. Before the game of FC Bayern she told the approximately 70,000 football fans present that alone in Bavaria every year more than 50,000 people suffer a stroke.

Hypertension is the main risk factor in stroke
Bavaria's Minister of Health Melanie Huml urgently warned against an underestimation of the risk of stroke on Saturday. „In Bavaria alone, more than 50,000 people suffer a stroke each year“, said the CSU politician before the game of Bayern against Werder Bremen in the Munich Allianz Arena. „Even young people can be affected.“ A stroke is often noticeable before. „Possible symptoms include, for example, numbness, tingling or blurred vision“, according to the minister, according to a press release from the Bavarian state government. Then it is strongly advised to go to the doctor. As Huml said to around 70,000 football fans present, high blood pressure is the main risk factor in stroke. „In addition to abstaining from smoking, it is important to have a proper diet and plenty of exercise“, said the Health Minister.

Bayern against the stroke
The reason for the appearance of the Minister was the start of the campaign „Bayern against the stroke“. According to the Ministry for Stroke Treatment, there are 20 supraregional, highly specialized stroke stations in Bavaria. In addition, telemedical stroke networks will further expand the nationwide special care of patients. „Telemedicine brings cutting-edge medicine to the patient. Instead of long journeys to the special clinics, a qualified treatment can be carried out locally in the hospital - this saves time, which one does not have in an emergency stroke“, so Huml. The campaign also includes one „Stroke Tour“ held by Bavaria. Interested parties can participate in hands-on activities that measure blood pressure and blood sugar, for example. In addition, the fire-red London double-decker bus informs about risk factors and typical symptoms.

After a stroke it has to go to the clinic quickly
The neurologist Professor dr. Stefan Schwab from the University Hospital Erlangen underlined the launch of the campaign: „Critical to successful treatment of stroke remains that patients are treated within a few hours on a stroke unit. The phrase 'time is brain' applies here. The sooner the so-called lysis therapy can take place, the higher the probability of surviving the stroke without obstruction.“ This unfortunately only applies for the first four hours after a stroke. Therefore, the education of the population is so important that it must go to the hospital quickly after a stroke. „Patients should dial the 112 emergency number so that they can be quickly delivered to a suitable clinic“, so the expert. (Ad)