In the Region of Murcia, 2,598 cases of cerebrovascular disease were registered in 2020, 69% of which were ischaemic strokes. Almost 50% of patients survive without sequelae.
The Regional Ministry of Health is going to implement in other hospitals the so-called «tele ictus» which is already in operation in Yecla, where this year alone, of the 100 strokes that occurred in this municipality, some 30 were attended telematically. The response times in this type of episode are vital. To give you an idea: in one minute a million neurons can die if there is no blood flow. We have about 86 billion.
Telemedicine is here to stay and this is being proven in hospitals such as the one in Yecla, far from the two stroke units in the Region located in the Arrixaca and Santa Lucía, which has been piloting the «tele stroke» experience for more than a year.
The patient suspected of having a stroke is transferred to the Virgen del Castillo hospital where the emergency doctor will connect via camera with the reference hospital. The two will examine the patient and decide on treatment and transfer, if necessary, to Murcia. Time is saved and «that is gold», according to Ana Morales, head of the neurology department at the Virgen de la Arrixaca hospital and regional coordinator of the Stroke Code.
In the Region of Murcia, 2,598 cases of cerebrovascular disease were registered in 2020, of which 69 percent were ischaemic strokes (1,792). In order to save time against stroke, we need to be clear about its symptoms. The first thing to know is that it appears abruptly, there are no signs of previous days, we are talking about minutes. Everything happens quickly and these are the main symptoms.