A FASTer approach to stroke at Durdans

• Time and quality care is critical in the diagnosis and treatment of stroke

According to the latest WHO data published, stroke is the second leading cause of death among Sri Lankans and the leading cause of adult disability in Sri Lanka. With the population standing in approximately 21 million, it is predicted that by 2020, around 20% of the population in Sri Lanka will be older than 65 years of age. As stroke commonly occurs in the elderly, there is thus an impending epidemic of stroke in Sri Lanka.  

When compared with the other countries in the South East Asian region, while Sri Lanka has shown a marked progress in stroke services over the last one and half decades, there is vast room for improvement of its services for needy stroke patients. The lack of organised stroke care facilities (i.e. stroke units) in public as well as private healthcare establishments is a major problem for the country at present. 

Durdans Hospital remains at the forefront of cardiovascular disease treatment, stroke care and prevention in Sri Lanka. The dedicated Durdans Neuro and Stroke Centre, provides specialised care to our patients and their families. Another important part of stroke care at Durdans Hospital, is that it involves multidisciplinary teams of  neurologists, neurosurgeons, interventional radiologists, clinical nurse specialists, registered nurses, therapy and rehabilitation professionals who use multiple clinical possibilities to reduce disabilities and impairments.

“We now can confidently treat stroke patients with the 24/7 coverage at Durdans Neuro and Stroke Centre,” said Dr. Nilaksha Kumarasinghe, who is a Consultant Neurosurgeon at Durdans Hospital. “Durdans hospital is a premium tertiary care provider in the private sector which is equipped with all the expertise and equipment for stroke care as well as other Neurosurgical treatments including spinal procedures.”

About 90% of strokes that occur in Sri Lanka are ischemic strokes, caused by an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. In the absence of oxygen, the brain cells in the immediate area begin to die. Understanding risk factors and learning to recognise symptoms can potentially save lives and limit damage. 

“When patients come to our emergency department with stroke symptoms, they are quickly evaluated by a neurologist to determine if they are a candidate for acute therapy,” added Dr. Stravinsky Perera, who is also a Consultant Neurosurgeon at Durdans Hospital. “In the past few years, we have dramatically improved our process and we now consistently treat patients with Tissue Plasminogen Activator treatment (rtPA) clot-busting medication in less than an hour from their arrival to Durdans Hospital. We have already updated our protocol so eligible patients can be treated as quickly as possible.”

If you think you or someone else may be having a stroke, call the Durdans Helpline 1-3-4-4 immediately. Time is essential in the diagnosis and treatment of stroke. There is recovery if you act F.A.S.T. For more information about Durdans Stroke Care, call 011 2 140 000.