Stroke is the second highest cause of death worldwide and a leading cause of disability and these statistics are also seen in the UAE and MENA region. According to medical experts in attendance at the Middle East and North Africa Stroke Conference in October 2015; every year, there are 20,000 new strokes, 4,000 deaths and 8,000 disabilities seen in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the numbers in Egypt touching 820,000. In the UAE, the figures are more than 7,000 every year. Forecasts also put the rate of strokes doubling in the region in the next 15 years. Factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and disorders related to smoking, are among the primary causes of stroke.
“The onset of a stroke is always sudden: a clot in or a narrowing of the blood vessels causes reduced blood flow, which then results to impaired brain function. Stroke, be it ischemic or hemorrhagic (where the blood vessels burst causing a blood leak in the brain), causes injury to the brain. The chances of survival and recovery are stronger when patients receive immediate medical attention and rehabilitation.