العربية
FREE STROKE CHECK UP
One person is believed to suffer a stroke every hour in the UAE with 8,000 patients admitted to hospital because of the condition. As the incidence of stroke continues to grow it places a significant burden on the healthcare system. Worldwide stroke is the second leading cause of death for people above the age of 60; however, in the UAE, stroke patients are around 20 years younger than the worldwide average.
Friday 12th December: we offer stroke check ups free of charge
In an effort to raise awareness and encourage prevention, we are opening our doors on Friday 12th December to offer stroke check ups free of charge. The check up takes approximately 20 minutes and involves an ultrasound to examine the blood vessels in the brain. Stroke specialists will also carry out an individual stroke risk calculation estimating the ten-year risk and lifetime risk of having a stroke. Based on the results the physician will discuss any specific treatment or lifestyle changes that may be necessary. Major lifestyle issues that can lead to stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and obesity.
Prof. Dr. med D. Claus said, “’stroke is a huge health concern across the globe and here in the UAE we see a greater number of cases linked to the already high incidence of obesity and cardiovascular disease, as well as lifestyle factors including poor diet and lack of exercise. The test is a quick and painless way of establishing risk and allowing us to determine a suitable action plan.‘What most people don’t realise is that as many as 70% of strokes could be avoided by preventative measures.”’
70% of strokes could be avoided by preventative measures
Marwan Abedin, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Healthcare City, said: “Non-communicable diseases share several common risk factors hence it is a shared responsibility for all healthcare providers and stakeholders to run awareness and screening campaigns. Cardiovascular disease – a group of disorders including stroke and heart disease, is one of four major NCDs and a leading cause of death. [Other NCDs being cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes.]
“When public screenings address risk factors such hypertension, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, poor diet, physical inactivity and/or obesity, these help fortify the efforts of policymakers, add a voice to ongoing interventions, and encourage behavior change. Dubai Healthcare City is committed to protecting and educating the community through public health campaigns. We support our business partners in raising awareness.”
Patients can email us at mail@gnc-dubai.com to book an appointment for between 9am and 9pm on Friday 12th December, appointments will be offered on a first come first serve basis.
We recently welcomed Professor Dr. med Ringelstein to our neurology team. Prof. Ringelstein is a Board Member of the German Stroke Society and was part of the accreditation team for the dedicated stroke unit at Rashid Hospital, the only unit outside the EU to be awarded an international accreditation.
