6 January 2012
A new service to provide stroke victims with life-saving, blood clot-busting medication is now seeing its first patients at Epsom Hospital.
As part of a huge £760,000 investment into our specialist stroke service, the team are now offering thrombolysis treatment (a drug that breaks down blood clots, helping to reduce the damage caused to the brain by a stroke) to suitable patients.
Dr Brendan Affley is a stroke consultant at Epsom Hospital. He said: "When treating a stroke, time is absolutely of the essence - two million brain cells die every minute during a stroke without treatment.
"Most strokes occur as a result of the blood supply being cut off to part of the brain because of a clot, starving it of oxygen and nutrients, and potentially causing long-term disability and sometimes death. It is therefore vital that we can breakdown the clot and treat the problem as soon as we possibly can. Treating a stroke promptly can have a huge impact on a patient's recovery.
"Thrombolysis is a fantastic tool in treating some strokes, and the Epsom Hospital stroke team are very pleased to be able to offer this treatment to those patients who are suitable.
"We do our best to prevent strokes from happening in the first place with our daily TIA (transient ischaemic attacks) clinic. A TIA is often referred to as a 'mini-stroke' and can be a sign that a patient is at risk of suffering a full stroke. Patients treated in the clinic receive the immediate, specialist attention they need, which can reduce that risk.
"However, not all strokes are preceded by a TIA, so we are very glad to be able to offer local people the very best treatment should they be unfortunate enough to have a stroke."
Sadly, strokes are now a major local health problem and in 2010 alone, Epsom Hospital treated 220 people who had suffered a stroke.
Across the country, more than 150,000 people had a stroke. In addition, the damage caused by strokes to the brain means that they are now the largest cause of adult disability in the UK.
What can you do to reduce the risk of having a stroke?
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Eat a healthy diet;
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Make sure your blood pressure is well controlled;
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If you have an irregular pulse ask your GP to perform an ECG (otherwise known as an electrocardiogram - a simple test which records the rhythm and electrical activity of your heart), as you may need 'blood-thinning' medication;
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Take regular exercise;
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Stop smoking.
For more information about strokes and how they can be prevented, visit the NHS Choices website.
