Amritsar: On an average, one person in the country dies of brain stroke every minute and 16 lakh suffer from it every year, according to latest studies.

"Most studies carried out in the country show that 10 to 15 per cent cases of stroke occur in people below 40 years of age, which is higher than other countries. Recurrence may be higher in India due to poor compliance with treatment and control of risk factors," neurologist Dr Ashok Uppal said at the 3rd National Congress of Indian Stroke Association here today.

He said its incidence was earlier higher in the west and ascribed the reversal to "faulty lifestyles and lack of proper preventive measures". Uppal, who is ISA organising secretary, quoted statistics as showing that 16 lakh Indians get stroke every year. "This means 4,466 people get stroke every day or three persons every minute. In India, one person gets disabled every minute and one person dies every minute due to stroke," he said.

He said more than 80 per cent of strokes were preventable and 58 per cent of Indians "do not know that stroke occurs in the brain". The 3-day conference was held under the aegis of the World Stroke Organisation incorporating the international Stroke Society, World Stroke Federation and World Congress of Neurology.

The panelists of the conference included WSO president Dr Geoffrey A Donnan, director of Stroke Programmes, New York Dr J P Mohr and other healthcare specialists.

Source : PTI